Back in time
by fulcrum101
Summary: Lin visits the spirit world and gets thrown back in time, 74 years back in time. With knowledge of future events, will she change history, or keep it the same?
1. Chapter 1

Back in time

Summary: Lin visits the spirit world and gets thrown back in time, 74 years back in time. With knowledge of future events, will she change history, or keep it the same?

Ch 1 the beginning

Lin woke up in the night and looked from her bedroom window, seeing the spirit portal in the middle of the destroyed city.

"Man, what a shit show." She muttered, putting her armor on.

In a trance like state, Lin walked thru the city and towards the spirit portal. She didn't know why, but she felt compelled to go there. Lin felt the glow of the spirit portal pass through her as she walked away from the physical world, and into the spirit world.

"Wow." Lin said, seeing the spirit world for the first time. Colors and flora unknown to humans were shown all over the place.

"Morning, human." A spirit said.

"It's nighttime in Republic City." Lin dryly said.

"Indeed. You're an interesting person. We've been watching you." The spirit said, and more spirits appeared.

Lin recognized the spirits shown. Sokka, Suki, Iroh, Aang, her grandparents, and her father, Kanto.

"Dad?" Lin asked, seeing the spirit.

Kanto looked at Lin and smiled back.

"You've been watching me?" Lin asked.

"We have." Sokka said.

Lin couldn't speak. A tear rolled down her face, touched that she saw her friends and family from years ago.

"You were always interested in history. How about a chance to live it yourself?" the spirit asked.

"Are you serious?" Lin asked, not believing the spirit.

"I am. I'm the spirit of time. I can send someone back in time, if they wish." The spirit said.

"Have you done this before?" Lin asked.

"This is the first time." The spirit replied.

"Well, I've always heard stories of how my mom and her friends ended the 100-year war. I'd like to live that. To see what it was like." Lin said.

"So be it. But let me warn you. You can still die, and you have the potential to heavily alter the future course of events as you know it. So take care." The spirit said.

"When it's all done, I'll be back right where I am, correct?" Lin asked.

"Correct." The spirit said, then touched Lin's eyes.

Lin felt herself black out, and all her senses ceased to exist.

Suddenly, like a sharp pain she awoke and clutched her head, suffering a massive headache.

"Oh fuck." She muttered, and stood up.

What Lin saw was snow, snow, more fucking snow.

"I can't believe it. I traveled back in time." Lin said, and walked thru the snow, half-expecting to be in the southern water tribe.

She continued her walk and heard something she didn't want to hear. The growl of wolf. Lin slowly turned to face the animal, and saw it.

The wolf then charged forward, and Lin stood where she was, waiting for the right moment to strike. Just when the wolf leaped up for the kill, Lin dove out of the way and fired her wrist knives at the wolf, firing at the underbelly.

The wolf cried in pain, and charged again. It bit at Lin's armor, breaking thru the metal and drawing some blood, causing Lin to clench her teeth in pain, trying not to cry out.

"What does it take?" Lin muttered thru clenched teeth, and wrapped her cables around the wolf's neck, then proceeded to crush its neck, killing it.

"About time." Lin muttered, and continued to head towards what she hoped would be a village. Hours passed, and Lin collapsed from exhaustion. The last thing she saw, was two teenagers heading towards her.

'Sokka? Katara?'

Katara and Sokka were hunting for food for their village, being the only ones who were able to do so. In the distance, they saw a body and headed towards it. Coming closer, they saw an older woman, wearing a metal armor they'd never seen before.

"Who's she?" Katara asked.

"Don't know, don't care. She's wearing metal armor, and is probably a fire nation soldier." Sokka said, pulling out his knife.

"Sokka, I doubt she's fire nation. Look at her eyes." Katara said, opening Lin's eyelids and saw green eyes.

"Fine. Lets take her back to the village. First that bald kid with the arrows and the bison, now this. I wonder what else is going to happen." Sokka said.

 **Southern water tribe village**

Lin woke up in a tent and saw another person sleeping. Lin silently moved towards the person, and saw it was Aang. For a moment, she sat there and observed the avatar. She couldn't believe that Aang had reincarnated into Korra of all the people selected to be the avatar. And she couldn't believe that she was seeing Aang, just after he was freed from the iceberg.

Aang quickly woke from a nightmare, and looked at Lin.

"Good, you're awake." Lin said.

"I'm Aang. Who are you?"

"Call me Lin."

"Where do you come from, Lin?" Aang asked.

Thankfully, Lin thought of a cover for the moment. She only hoped the lie would hold.

"I'm from the earth kingdom." Lin said.

"Neat. I have some friends in the earth kingdom, and the fire nation. All over the world." Aang happily said, as he put on his clothes.

"Aang, the village wants to meet you." Katara said, and took him outside. Sokka walked inside the tent and faced Lin.

"So who are you?" Sokka asked.

"My name is Lin. I'm a soldier in the earthkingdom." Lin lied.

"How'd you end up here?" Sokka asked.

"The war is going very badly for the earth kingdom, I'm sure you know. I was sent to scout any weakness in the fire nation territories. Got spotted, and had to get the hell out of doge. Got on a ship, only for the fire navy to catch up. I escaped, played dead by floating on the water, and ended up here." Lin continued.

"Okay. What about your armor? Never seen anything like that." Sokka said.

"Special forces armor. Very secret force." Lin said.

Sokka still didn't believe Lin, but allowed her to stay.

"… Extinct?" Aang asked, as gran-gran said that the air nomads were extinct.

"What's this, a weapon? You can't stab anyone with this." Sokka said, taking Aang's staff.

"Sure you can. Any object can be used as weapon." Lin said, holding her right arm in front of her chest, and brandished her knife.

"How'd you do that? Mechanism in your armor?" Sokka asked.

"You can say that." Lin said, pushing the blade inside.

"So what's the staff for?" Sokka asked.

"It's for airbending." Aang said, and opened the staff into a glider.

"Magic trick. Do it again." A young girl said.

"Not magic. Airbending. It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly." Aang explained.

"You know, last time I checked, people can't fly." Sokka said.

"Check again." Aang said, and launched into the air, and performed several aerial tricks for the village to see.

Lin couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see Aang so calm and worry-free. Too bad he'd be forced to learn about the war anytime soon.

Lin was brought out of her thoughts when Aang ran into a guard tower.

"My watchtower!" Sokka gasped. Lin was briefly reminded of Huan, when he flipped about seeing his sculpture ruined, courtesy of Lin and Su.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, and Lin carries weapons inside her armor. Lovely." Sokka said.

"I can train you in hand to hand if you want." Lin offered.

"No thanks. I'd rather learn by myself, then by an old woman." Sokka said.

"So you can't beat me, can you?" Lin smirked, goading the proud warrior.

Sokka's face went red, and fumes left his ears. With a war cry, he charged the metal-bender only for Lin to sidestep Sokka and grab his coat. She used his momentum against him and threw him in the snowbank.

"One thing you should know. Use your opponents' momentum against them." Lin said.

Sokka stood up and charged Lin, swinging his club at her. Lin dodged the club then tripped Sokka and knocked him on his back.

"You should give up your attitude now." Lin said, knowing full well that Sokka did ditch the chauvinism.

Meanwhile, Katara talked to her grandmother about the two newcomers.

"Katara, you shouldn't place all your hopes into this one boy." Gran-gran said.

"But he's special. I can tell. I sense much wisdom inside him." Katara said.

"And the older woman?" Gran-gran asked.

Katara watched Lin walk away from Sokka, after beating him in a match.

"Time will tell, but I have a good feeling about her." Katara said.


	2. Chapter 2 the avatar returns

Ch 2 the avatar returns

Lin watched as Aang played with the kids in the village, having a happy time. She decided not to tell Aang about the war, but rather let history run its course.

"We don't have time for games with the war going on." Sokka said.

"War? What war?" Aang asked.

"You're kidding, right?" Sokka asked.

Aang was about to ask when he noticed a penguin, and acted accordingly.

"Penguin!" he shouted, and ran after the fleeing animal at an inhumane speed with his airbending.

"He's kidding, right?" Sokka asked his sister.

"Doesn't look like it." Lin replied, and went after Aang.

Lin trailed after Katara as they went after Aang, and found him in a batch of penguin's. Aang attempted to catch one when Katara came to him.

"Now where's that fire nation ship?" Lin muttered, knowing how Zuko first found Aang. A flare was launched from a shored up warship, left over from the first raids.

The metal-bender walked past the herd of penguins, slid down a tunnel and approached the dilapidated warship.

"100 years." Lin muttered, walking inside the warship. She quickly found the armor, thanks to her seismic sense and picked out a Katana sword. She hid herself in the shadows and waited for Katara and Aang.

"I have friends all over the world. Including the fire nation." Aang said.

"How long have you been in the iceberg?" Katara asked.

"A few days, I think." Aang replied.

"Aang, you've been gone for 100 years." Katara said.

"What? Do I look like a 112-year-old man to you?" Aang asked.

"Think about it. The war has been going on for 100 years. The reason you don't know about it, is because you were gone that whole time." Katara said.

Aang sat down, hit hard by the news.

"100 years." Aang said.

"We need to leave." Lin said, approaching the two.

"How long were you here?" Katara asked.

"A few minutes. Chances are, the ship's rigged." Lin said.

Aang ignored Lin's advice and continued to walk thru the ship.

"Aang, we should leave." Katara said.

Aang walked on a trip wire, and a gate closed.

"What was that you said about it being rigged?" Aang sheepishly added.

"Great." Lin muttered, and looked across the bridge for an escape.

"Hold on tight." Aang said to Katara, and air jumped thru a hole in the ceiling. Lin followed by using her cables and escaping the same way.

"We need to move, right fucking now!" Lin said, and ran towards the village.

Lin braced herself for an icy welcome. All the adults, and Sokka, glared at the three of them as they came back to the village.

"I knew it. You're leading the fire navy towards us." Sokka said.

"Aang didn't do anything, it was an accident." Katara said.

"We were on the that ship and there was this booby trap, and we boobied right into it." Aang said.

"Aha. The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy. Those two are banned from our village." Sokka said.

"Sokka, you're making a mistake." Katara said.

"No. I'm keeping my promise to dad. I'm protecting you from threats like him." Sokka said.

"Sokka, why don't you think for a second? You're the only one in the village who can fight. Me and Aang can help when the fire navy arrives." Lin said, trying to reason with Sokka.

"No. I was suspicious of you from the beginning. You're leaving as well." Sokka said.

"Pray that it's a quick and painless death. The fire nation isn't known for mercy." Lin reminded, and walked towards Appa.

"I'm leaving too." Katara said, and grabbed Aang.

"Where are you going?" Sokka asked.

"To find a waterbender! Aang is taking me to the north pole!" Katara said.

"I am? Great!" Aang said, not fully grasping the situation.

"Aang, you don't understand what you're doing." Lin said.

"Katara, are you going with him? Over your own family?" Sokka asked.

"Katara, I don't want to get between you and your family." Aang said.

Lin shook her head, knowing full well that Sokka didn't stand a chance against Zuko. But they had to leave. If they stayed in defiance, that would only prove Sokka correct in his assumptions.

"Well, there goes that." Aang said, as they rested in the ice.

Lin approached Aang and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. You'll see them real soon." Lin said.

"How can you be sure?" Aang asked.

"Lucky guess." Lin sarcastically, pointing to Zuko's ship approaching the village.

"Wait here, Appa." Aang said, and went to the village, followed by Lin. The two ran towards the village, when Aang took a detour.

"Where the hell are you going?" Lin asked, running after him.

"Just go. I'll catch up!" Aang said, searching for a penguin.

Lin walked up a snow bank and watched as Zuko mops the floor with Sokka.

"Dumbass." Lin said, and brandished her knives.

Lin slid down the opposite side of the snow bank and ran towards Zuko and his soldiers, intent on fighting them. Out of the blue, Aang outran Lin on a penguin and knocked Zuko off balance. Approaching the soldiers, Lin used her metalbending on the soldier's armor and threw them back inside the ship.

"Looking for me?" Aang asked, facing Zuko.

"You're the avatar?" Zuko asked.

"No way." Sokka said.

Zuko and Aang faced each other and exchanged words.

"I've spent years preparing for this. Training, meditating. You're just a child!" Zuko said.

"Well, you're just a teenager." Aang replied.

Zuko didn't take kindly to that, and threw fire balls at Aang. Aang twirls his staff in front of him to dissipate the blasts, but the flames still reach the villagers. Aang notices and stops the fight.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" Aang asked.

Zuko stiffly nodded, and his soldiers grabbed Aang and hauled him into the ship.

"Set a course for the fire nation. We're going home." Zuko said.

The villagers watched as the avatar was taken away.

"We're going after him?" Lin asked Sokka.

"We're going after him." Sokka replied.

The next morning, the two were loading supplies in a canoe. To be more accurate, Sokka was putting supplies in a canoe, and Lin would take them towards Appa.

"Hey, what happened to all of our stuff?" Sokka asked, seeing the empty canoe.

"We can't catch up on a canoe." Lin said.

"Then where is the stuff?" Sokka asked, then saw Appa approach them.

"Lovely." Sokka muttered.

Sokka, Lin, and Katara got on Appa and went after Zuko's ship. And it was slow going at first. Appa just swam through the water.

"Go. Fly. Soar." Sokka dryly said.

"Please, Appa. We need your help. Aang needs your help."

"Up. Ascend. Elevate." Sokka said.

"Sokka doesn't believe you can fly. But I do. Come on, don't you want to save Aang?" Katara coaxed.

"What was it that kid said? Yee-ha, Hup hup? Yip-yip?" Sokka said.

Appa responds to the last command and lifts into the air.

"Holy shit! He's flying!" Sokka exclaimed.

Lin only chuckles in response, and looks down to find Zuko's ship.

"Get me close to the ship. I'll take care of the rest." Lin said.

Approaching Zuko's ship, Lin drops from the bison and lands on the deck of the warship.

"Aang, run for it!" Lin shouts, and shoots a cable from her arm and wraps it around Zuko. Zuko looks in alarm at Lin, and his thrown against the hull of the ship, knocking himself out.

More fire nation soldiers appear, and start shooting fireballs at Aang. Aang lost his staff in the fight, and the next wave of fireballs knocked him over the ship.

Lin runs forward and causes a ripple to occur on the deck of the ship, knocking the firebenders off balance.

Aang reappears on the top of a whirlpool. Aang lands on the ship, the maelstrom of water still surrounding him. Moving his arms, Aang throws the water at the firebenders and knocked them off the ship.

"Now that, was some waterbending." Sokka said.

Lin held Aang in her arms as he exited the avatar state, drained of his energy and strength.

"Hey guys. Thanks for coming after me." Aang said.

"You're welcome." Lin said, and ran up Appa's tail and into the saddle.

Fire nation soldiers approach the water tribe siblings, and Katara attempts to fight them with her waterbending. But she encases Sokka's feet in ice, instead.

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang. I didn't ask for all this flying, and magic." Sokka said to himself, as he chipped away at the ice with his boomerang. Sokka frees himself from the ice and runs on Appa.

"Yip yip. Yip yip!" Sokka shouts, and Appa leave the fire nation ship.

"Shoot them down!" Zuko shouts, waking up from unconsciousness.

Zuko and Iroh fire a large fireball at the fleeing bison, but Aang swings his staff and airbends a gale that knocks the fireball into the ice cliff. The results is ice and snow falls onto the cruiser, and pins it into place.

"Thank for the save." Lin said.

As they fly into the night, Katara talks to Aang.

"How'd you do that? That was amazing!" Katara said.

"I just did it." Aang said.

"Why didn't you tell us you were the avatar?" Katara asked.

"Because… I never wanted to be." Aang softly said, almost ashamed to admit it.

"Aang, the world's been waiting for the avatar to return and put an end to the war." Katara said.

"And how am I going to do that?" Aang asked.  
"You need to learn the remaining elements. Water, earth, and fire. I can teach you some earthbending, but you need to learn water first." Lin said.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Aang said.

"Me and you can learn waterbending together." Katara said.

"Good luck with that." Lin said, knowing from history the northern tribe's sexist views.

"Alright. Before we start training, we have some serious business to attend to. Here, here, and here." Aang said, pointing on a map.

"What's there?" Katara asked.  
"Here we'll ride the hopping llamas. Then waaaay over here we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding them, but that's what makes it fun!" Aang said.


	3. Chapter 3 the southern air temple

Ch 3 the southern air temple

Lin woke up early before anyone else. She enjoyed the solitude, the quiet. Deeply exhaling, she raced thru her memories and tried to figure out when Aang headed to the air temple and found out the damning truth. God, she hoped it wasn't today, but her gut said otherwise.

Lin decided to practice her hand to hand combat, going thru the motions of earth and metal-bending.

"You have some impressive moves." Aang said, watching her.

"Thanks. It keeps me in shape." Lin said.

"Mind teaching me some earth-bending techniques?" Aang asked.

"Not until you start learning water. There's a reason the avatar learns the elements in the order." Lin said, sitting on the ground and spread her legs apart to stretch.

"Mind if I join?" Aang asked.

"Sure thing." Lin said.

Aang sat opposite of Lin and spread his legs apart, his feet touching Lin's. the two grabbed each other's arms and stretched their hamstrings and lower back. Lin leaned backwards and pulled Aang forward. Aang also took his turn, leaning backwards and pulled Lin forward.

"Wow. You're really flexible." Aang said, as Lin pulled both of them closer, heavily stretching their inner legs.

"Thanks." Lin said.

"Mind if we spar?" Aang asked.

"Sure thing." Lin said, and got up.

The two faced each other and started their duel. Lin fired first with a barrage of earth-bending, lifting two dozen small rocks and threw them at Aang. Aang easily dodged them and retaliated with an air blast.

Little did Aang know, Lin had experience fighting airbenders, having lived with Tenzin all her life, and sparred with him. Lin dodged the air blasts and retaliated with a good sized boulder. Aang barely dodged that, and failed to see Lin run into him at full tilt. Lin grabbed Aang by the shoulders and pinned him against the ground, using her earthbending to pin his arms and legs in place.

"I win." Lin said, and removed the earth binds.

Aang stood up and walked after Lin.

"I'll be great having you as a teacher." Aang said.

"Wait until you start to learn water." Lin said.

"How old are you?" Aang asked, right out of the blue.

Lin gave Aang a glare with her eyes, a glare that would intimidate most people. But Aang wasn't most people.

Seeing the 'chief's glare' wasn't working, Lin relented.

"54 years old." Lin said.

"You're beautiful for being 54." Aang said, walking aside her.

Lin stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Aang, mouth open in surprise. Was he hitting on her?

"For my sanity, I'm going to forget you said that." Lin said.

Reaching Appa, they noticed that Sokka was still asleep.

"Wake up, Sokka. We're seeing the southern air temple." Aang said.

"Sleep now, temple later." Sokka said.

With a mischievous grin on his face, Aang grabbed a stick and ran it across Sokka's sleeping bag.

"Sokka, wake up! There's a snake in your sleeping bag!"

That woke Sokka up, as he snapped awake and attempted to hop away, still in the sleeping back. Lin rubbed her forehead. There was no way he was this stupid.

"Great, you're up. Lets go." Aang said.

On Appa, Sokka went thru the food bag to quell his hunger, and found nothing.

"Hey, where's all the food?" Sokka asked.

"Here it is." Lin said, pulling another food bag out of nowhere.

"Aang, you were going to use our only source of food as firewood." Lin replied.

"Oh. Sorry." Aang sheepishly said.

As Sokka filled his belly to his heart's content, they approached the southern mountain range of the air temple.

"We're almost there." Aang said in excitement.

"Aang, there's something you should know. The fire nation is ruthless. They killed my mother. They may have done the same to your people." Katara said.

"Just because no-one has seen an airbender, doesn't mean they're extinct." Aang said.

"I'm just saying, you won't like what you'll find." Katara said.

"Katara, you don't understand. The only way to get to an air temple is on a bison. And I doubt the fire nation has those." Aang said.

As they approached the air temple, one thought went thru Lin's mind.

 _Hundreds of monks used to live here. Now it's a ghost town._

Aang led them to spot on a ledge and pointed to various spots.

"That's where my friends and I would play airball. And that's where the bison would sleep and…" Aang stopped, sighing.

"This whole place used to be full with monks and lemurs and bisons. Now it's deserted." Aang said.

"I can't believe how things have changed." Aang said.

"So this airball game? How's it played?" Sokka asked, wanting to change the subject.

Aang and Sokka stood on posts on opposite sides of the field. Aang airbends a ball that hit the various posts in a zig-zag pattern, then hitting Sokka in the stomach.

"Aang, 7. Sokka, 0." Aang happily said.

"It's a bit like pro-bending." Lin said, as Aang approached her.

"What's that?" Aang asked.

 _Shit!_

"Some game before the 100-year war." Lin said.

"Can you tell more about this game?" Aang asked.

"Sure thing. There are two teams, and each team has benders of 3 elements. Water, earth, and fire. The goal of the game to knock the opposing team off the arena." Lin said.

"Neat." Aang said.

Lin walked after Aang, towards Katara and Sokka when she also saw the fire nation helmet. Katara covered it, and Sokka, by a mountain of snow.

"That's great. We have a whole temple to see." Aang said.

In the courtyard, Sokka talked to Katara.

"Katara, firebenders were here. You know it." Sokka said.

"If Aang learns what happened here, he'll be devastated." Katara said.

"He's going to find out sooner or later." Lin said.

Aang led the group deeper inside the temple to the inner sanctuary. One thing that caught Lin's attention, was that there weren't any markings of a war. No rotten skeletons, no burns on the earthen structure.

"Aang, no-one could have survived there." Katara said.

"I survived that iceberg." Aang said.

"You were in the avatar-state. Of course you'd survive. The rest of the nomads don't have that luxury." Lin said.

"Katara, whoever's in there might help me figure out this avatar thing!" Aang said.

"And whoever's in their might also have cured meats." Sokka said.

Sokka ran forward and into the wooden doors. He stubbornly attempted to push them open, but no luck.

"You're shitting me, aren't you?" Lin muttered.

It was an air nomad temple, for Christ's sake!

"I don't suppose you have the key." Sokka said.

"The key is airbending." Aang said, and airbent two columns of air into the door tunnels, releasing the locks and opening the door.

"Impressive." Lin said, never seeing that before.

They walked inside the room and saw statues of all the past avatars, the most recent being avatar Roku.

Aang stood in front of Roku's statue and stared at it.

"Aang, snap out of it!" Katara said, shaking him.

"Who's that?" Katara asked.

"Roku. The avatar before me." Aang said.

"You were a firebender in your past life? No wonder I didn't trust you." Sokka said.

"How do you know it's him?" Katara asked.

"I just do." Aang said.

"Hate to break up the reunion, but we got company." Lin said, hiding behind a statue. A shadow appeared and approached the group.

"That firebender won't know what hit him." Sokka muttered, wielding his club. Lin brandished her arm knives and got ready to strike.

Moving away from the statues, they came face to face… with a lemur.

"Lemur!" Aang said.

"Dinner." Sokka said, drooling saliva.

"That's disgusting." Lin said, seeing Sokka.

"Don't worry. You'll be my new pet." Aang said.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka said, and ran after the lemur.

"Lovely." Lin muttered, and ran after the duo, using her earthbending to increase her speed.

"No fair!" Sokka shouted, as Aang leaped off the balcony. Lin jumped off the balcony as well, and used her metal cables to soften the fall.

Lin tracked Aang's footsteps and followed him, and saw him on his knees, sobbing.

"Oh no." Lin said, seeing Gyatso, and a twenty or so fire nation soldiers.

"Hey, Aang. I wasn't going to eat the lemur." Sokka said, walking into the room, when he saw the same grisly sight.

"Sokka, we should run." Lin said, grabbing Sokka and quickly ran away from Aang, as he entered the avatar state.

"What happened?" Katara asked, seeing the commotion.

"Aang found out firebenders killed Gyatso!" Sokka shouted over the winds produced by Aang.

"I'm gonna try and calm him down." Katara said.

"Hurry! Before he blows us off the mountain!" Sokka shouted, trying to hold onto a piece of earth.

Lin pinned Sokka's hands inside the earth to anchor him to the ground, and did the same to herself. Looking up, she saw Aang reside inside an air sphere, his eyes and tattoos glowing.

Rage was all that Aang felt, an intense hatred for the fire nation filled his heart and mind. He barely hears Katara shout for him.

"Aang, I know you're upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka, Lin, and I, we're your family now." Katara shouted, hoping it would calm him down.

Aang heard Katara's words, and lowered himself to the earth, leaving the avatar state.

"We won't let anything happen to you. Promise." Sokka said.

Aang collapses and is held in Katara's arms. Everyone closely huddles together, like a flock of animals defending the weakest one.

"I'm sorry." Aang said.

"It's okay." Katara said.

"But you were right. And if firebenders came here, they hit the other temples too. I really am the last airbender." Aang said.

Aang stood in front of Ruko, wondering how he would contact him, if he was capable of doing so.

"Everything's packed up. You ready to go?" Katara asked.

"How am I supposed to contact Roku?" Aang asked.

"Don't worry about that. You'll find a way." Lin said.

The lemur returns with fruit, and dumps them at Sokka's feet. Sokka immediately starts to eat them.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." Aang said.

"Can't talk. Must eat." Sokka said, as he still gobbled down the fruit.

"So what are you going to name him?" Lin asked.

"Momo." Aang said, as the lemur scurried with a peach.

As they headed northward, Aang looked at his temple, now grasping what happened.

"Hang in there, kid. It'll only get better." Lin said.

"How do you know?" Aang asked, turning to face Lin.

 _Because I'm from the future, and I know that airbenders will be on the earth again._

"I just know." Lin said, laying on the saddle and fell asleep. Aang lay next to Lin, and to her surprise, wrapped his arms around her.


	4. Chapter 4 Kyoshi island

Ch 4 Kyoshi Island

"You've no idea where we're going, do you?" Sokka asked, looking at a map, trying to remember where they went.

"Well, I know it's near water." Aang said.

Lin face-palmed herself, as they were flying just 10 feet above the water.

"This better be worth it." Lin muttered, as she sharpened her knife blades.

"Hey, Lin. What's with the cables on your back?" Sokka asked.

"Part of the armor." Lin responded.

"Yeah, but the cables go inside the arms, not the legs. And the length of the cables is greater than all your armor put together." Sokka said.

"Okay. I'll tell the truth. I'm a metal-bender." Lin said, glaring at Sokka.

"You can bend metal?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. I can." Lin said.

"How many metal-benders are their?" Aang asked.

"You're looking at the only one in the world right now." Lin said.

Appa landed on an island, but Katara and Sokka objected.

"If we keep going at this pace, We'll reach the north pole by spring time." Sokka said.

"Sokka's right. It's too early to settle down and camp." Katara said.

"But Appa's tired. Aren't you buddy?" Aang asked, coaxing the bison to roar.

"Well, can't argue with a 10 ton flying monster." Sokka said.

They watched as a giant koi fish leaped out of the water.

"Look! That's why we're here. I'm going to ride one. Katara, you got to watch." Aang said, stripping to his underwear and jumped into the water, swimming towards the fish.

"He's fish food." Lin said, stealthily extending her cables into her palms, ready to launch them at a moment's notice.

"He's pretty good out there." Katara said.

"Are you kidding me? The fish is doing all the work." Sokka said.

"Considering how fast that fish is going, he shouldn't be able to hold on for that long. I have to give him credit." Lin said.

They continued to watch Aang's antics, when Sokka noticed something.

"There's something in the water!" he shouted.

"Oh shit. Aang!" Lin shouted, trying to get the avatar's attention.

"Aang, get out of there!" Katara shouted.

Aang didn't hear them, but he was bucked off the koi fish he was currently riding. Aang swims up to catch some air, and turns around to see the Unagi approaching him.

"FUCK!" he shouts, and runs as like hell towards the beach, running right into Sokka.

"What was that?" Katara asked.

"I don't know." Aang said, putting his clothes on.

"Lets not stick around and find out. We should hit the road." Sokka said, when they were ambushed.

Lin barely reacted when she was tied up and blindfolded. She felt herself get thrown on the ground, dragged on the ground, then tied to a large structure. Lin calculated the many scenarios in her head, and like her mom drilled in her head, she waited for an opportunity to strike.

"You four have some explaining to do." Oyagi said.

"If you don't answer our questions, we're throwing you back to the unagi." Suki said.

"Show yourself, cowards!" Sokka said, and had his blindfold removed.

Lin looked at the four warriors and laughed.

"Really? That's all you got? 4 soldiers?" Lin mocked, laughing.

"We caught you." Suki said.

"Sweetheart, 4 is not enough to hold off the fire nation. They'll kill all of you within a few seconds. I could do the job myself." Lin said.

"And I don't believe a bunch of girls captured us." Sokka said.

"Thanks, Sokka. Your mouth just killed us." Lin muttered.

"A bunch of girls huh? The unagi will eat well." Suki said, grabbing Sokka's throat.

"No, don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother is sometimes an idiot." Katara said.

"It's my fault. I wanted to ride the koi fish." Aang said.

"How do we know you're not fire nation spies? Kyoshi stayed out of the war so far. And we intend to keep it that way." Oyagi said.

"Wow. That explains your lame ass security. Like I said, 4 will not be enough. You'd need to arm and train all the men and women capable of bearing arms. And just so you know, no fire nation spy would say that." Lin said.

"Me and you can spar. I'll show you what I got." Suki said.

"Please, try." Lin snarled at Suki.

"I know Kyoshi." Aang said.

"He's right. Aang's the avatar." Lin vouched.

"That's impossible. The last avatar was an airbender who disappeared 100 years ago." Suki said.

"That's me." Aang said.

"Throw them with the unagi." Oyagi ordered, and the warriors moved in for the kill.

Aang breaks his bonds and shoots himself in the air, vaulted by his airbending.

"And just so ya'll know…" Lin said, and sliced the rope clean with her knife, extending from the armor.

"You could have freed you and your friends." Suki said.

"Yeah. And killed you and your soldiers. But that would be a terrible way to say hello." Lin said.

"Alright, that's it!" A kyoshi warrior shouted, and ran towards Lin. Little did the warrior know, Lin had seismic sense, and advanced hand to hand combat.

Lin felt thru her metal bending as the kyoshi warrior extended her fans and made the arm movements to slash at Lin.

But Lin easily side stepped the warrior, and grabbed her opponent and threw her at Suki, knocking both of them down.

The remaining two approached Lin, only for Lin to raise a pillar of earth, chest high and pressed her hand on it.

"Come closer. Please." Lin said.

The warriors opted to throw their fans at Lin, but Lin easily caught them, her metalbending greatly helping.

"You think you're the only one who's good with bladed weaponry?" Lin asked, throwing the fans back.

"Better luck next time. And ditch the dress. It'll hamper your movement." Lin said.

The next day, the statue was being repainted, and Appa was also receiving attention, as two people tended to him.

"Alright, dessert for breakfast." Aang said, looking at the table filled with sweets.

"These people sure know how to treat an avatar." Aang said, stuffing his face.

Lin grabbed a piece of cake and ate it, finding it to her taste. As she drowned out the conversation between Aang, Katara, and Sokka, she looked at the village and the statue. Looking at the building where the Kyoshi warriors were training, Lin figured she could give them some hand to hand tactics. Give them some help in the war.

"…Tie me up with ropes! I'll show them a thing or two. I'm not scared of any girls. Who do they think they are?" Sokka muttered, walking away eating the sweets.

"Mmm… this is tasty."

Lin couldn't help but laugh at that. Sokka was going to get his ass owned.

"I have to witness that." Lin said, grabbing some sweets and walking out.

"Holy shit, these sweets are good. I got to get the recipes for these." Lin said, munching on a piece of candy.

Lin headed to the dojo where the warriors were training, and Suki just finished humiliated Sokka.

"What are you doing here?" one of the warriors asked, glaring at Lin.

"Let me guess. You can dish punishment, but can't take it, right?" Lin asked.

"Enough." Suki said, stepping between the soldier and Lin.

"Look. Sorry we attacked you guys. How'd you know so much?" Suki asked.

"The fighting skills? I've been fighting the fire nation for years on end." Lin lied.

"Maybe you can teach us." Suki said.

"Okay. But first, ditch the dresses. You'll be fighting outnumbered and outgunned. You won't be running as fast when it hits the fan." Lin advised.

"That's part of our tradition." Suki said.

Lin kneed Suki in the gut real hard, pulls her on the ground, and plants a firm knee on her kidneys. Suki struggled, but is unable to escape.

"Tradition didn't stop me from taking you down. It won't stop the fire nation from capturing you and your soldiers. Won't stop them from raping you till you're dead. That's war. Get used to it." Lin menacingly said in Suki's ear.

"This is how you teach others?" another warrior asked.

"Only the enemy is your teacher. Your enemy will teach you where you're are weak, where he is strong. Your enemy will teach you how to win. For now, I am your enemy." Lin said, getting off Suki and letting her go.

"First, ditch the dresses. Second, ditch the headpiece. That screams 'I'm the leader' to archers and crossbowman. Great way to die. Third, start training more people from your village. You'll have a higher chance of survival if more people can fight." Lin said.

Sokka then walked into the dojo, catching the attention of everyone else.

"Uh… hey Suki." Sokka said.

"Hoping for another dance lesson?" Suki harshly asked.  
"No... I... well, let me explain." Sokka said.  
"Spit it out! What do you want?" Suki asked.  
"I would be honored if you would teach me." Sokka said, kneeling in front of Suki. 

"Even if I'm a _girl_?" Suki retorted.  
"I'm sorry if I insulted you earlier. I was wrong." Sokka admitted.

"We normally don't teach outsiders, let alone boys." Suki said.  
"Please make an exception. I won't let you down." Sokka pleaded.  
"All right. But you have to follow all of our traditions." Suki said.  
"Of course!" Sokka quickly said.

"And I mean ALL of them." Suki said.

Sokka then found himself wearing one of the uniforms.

"I told you to get rid of the dress. Sokka, try and kick me." Lin said, standing in front of Sokka.

Sokka attempted to kick Lin, but couldn't kick his leg high enough.

"You see, it hampers movement. Without a dress…" Lin said, then kicked her leg really high, proving her point.

"Okay. We'll cut the dress to allow more movement." Suki said, opening her fan.

Suki started training Sokka, while Lin trained the remaining warriors.

"Remember, you need to close the distance and strike at the weak points; the neck, groin, armpit, behind the knees. Don't aim for the torso. It's covered by armor." Lin advised, watching as the warriors practiced thrusting motions.

"Firebenders are on our shores! Come quickly!" Oyagi shouted, out of breath.

"Shit. Remember what I taught you. Suki, ditch the headpiece." Lin said.

The kyoshi warriors scattered themselves along the rooftops, as Zuko and his troops marched down the center of the village, searching for Aang.

3, 2, 1.

Lin jumped from the roof and landed on a firebending, knocking him from his rhinoceros. At the same time, an armored fist slammed into the soldier's face, knocking him out.

Lin seismic sense told her of incoming danger, and she rolled out of the way, just as a fireball was shot at her.

Lin earthbent a pillar of earth right underneath the firebender, and sent him flying into the air.

A rhinoceros charged Lin, the rider pointing his spear downward to impale Lin. Lin rolled out of the way, but the rhinoceros's tail smacked Lin and sent her flying against the wall of a house.

"Nice try, Avatar. But these little girls can't save you." Zuko said.

Lin got up and charged another rhinoceros. Extending her blades, Lin jumped forward with the help of her earthbending and stabbed the knife into the neck of the soldier, killing him.

The second rider faced Lin, but was then killed as a fan impaled itself in his neck.

"Thanks for the save." Lin shouted to the kyoshi warrior.

Lin ran down an alley and found Sokka and Suki.

"I am a warrior. But I'm also a girl." Suki said, kissing Sokka.

"Now get out of here. We'll hold them off." Suki said, brandishing her blades.

"Sokka, lets go." Lin said, pulling Sokka behind her.

"Lin." Suki said, catching her attention.

"Thanks for helping us." Suki said, then jumped into the fray.

Everyone climbed on the bison and made their escape, Zuko about to follow.

"I know it's hard, but you did the right thing. Zuko would have destroyed the whole place if we had stayed. They're going to be okay, Aang." Katara said.

Aang jumped off the saddle and into the water below. They watched as Aang reappears, riding the unagi. Aang pulls the whiskers and force the serpent to spew water onto the burning village, putting the fires out.

Aang then jumps from the serpent and Appa catches him.

"Can't believe he did that." Lin said, knowing that story was now true. She always considered it hyperbole.

"I know, I know. It was dangerous and stupid." Aang said, climbing into the saddle.

"Yes. It was." Katara said, then hugged Aang.


	5. Chapter 5 city of Omashu

Ch 5 City of Omashu

Standing on top of a hill, Aang introduced them to the impressive city of Omashu.

"The earth kingdom city of Omashu!" Aang stated.

Everyone looked at the city, standing upright in the middle of a valley, only accessible by a narrow road.

"We don't have any buildings like this in the south pole." Katara said.

"Their buildings don't even melt." Sokka said.

"The fun's inside the city. Lets go."Aang said, heading down the hill.

"Wait a second. It's been 100 years since you were here. A lot can change." Lin said.

"Lin's right. You need a disguise." Katara said.

"What am I supposed to do? Grow a moustache?" Aang asked.

Next thing Aang knew, he was wearing Appa's fur on his head and mouth.

"How do you wear this?" Aang asked, scratching his head.

"Great. Now you look like my grandfather." Sokka said.

"Well, Aang is 112 years old." Katara said.

"Walk with me, dear." Aang said, using a fake older voice.

Lin had a 'God help me' look on her face, as Aang walked close to Lin, pretending to be her husband.

Swallowing her pride, Lin wrapped a hand around Aang's shoulder, going thru the façade.

"You're going to love Omashu. These people are the friendliest in the world." Aang said.

"Then take a look up ahead." Lin said, seeing two guards talk with a cabbage merchant. They abruptly tossed his cabbages overboard.

"My cabbages!"

"Just keep smiling…" Aang said, with a large fake smile on his face. The guard lifted a boulder and held it over Aang's head.

"State your business." The guard said.

"My business is my business, young man, and none of yours! I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!" Aang said, right into the soldier's face.

"Calm down, old timer. Just tell me who you are." The guard said.

"Name's Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis, the Third, and these are my grandkids and wife." Aang said.

Lin looked like she wanted to murder Aang.  
"Hi, June Pipinpadaloxicopolis. Nice to meet you." Katara said.  
"You seem like a responsible young lady. See that your grandfather stays out of trouble. Enjoy Omashu!" the guard said.  
"We will." Katara said.

Having bullshitted their way inside the city, Aang took them to the top of a chute.

"The Omashu delivery system. Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up and gravity brings them down." Aang said.

"So they get their mail on time." Sokka said.

"You could also use it as a slide. You know, I heard that 100 years ago, some bald kid and his insane friend used these chutes for recreation usage." Lin smirked at Aang.

"Yes, that's very true." Aang said.

Climbing inside a transport bin, they looked down at the lengthy chute.

"One ride then we're on our way to the north pole." Aang said, failing to notice Lin approaching the bin from behind.

"I'm having second-AGHHH!" Katara screamed, as Lin pushed the slide down the chute. She watched with great satisfaction as they went on their adventure.

Lin waited for news of their arrest, then headed to meet the king to plead out their case. When she arrived, she found them in cuffs and kneeling in front of the king.

"Throw them, a feast." Bumi said.

Lin was also confused and sat next to Aang, keeping an eye on the king. The king was familiar to her, but she couldn't place her finger on it.

"Any idea who the king is?" Lin asked Aang.

"No idea." Aang said.

After some banter, the king then threw a chicken bone at Aang, who stopped it still with his airbending, breaking his cover.

"Great." Lin muttered, as the guards quickly cuffed them.

"Lin, you can get us out of here." Aang said, struggling against the earth restraints. Lin kneeled next to Aang and whispered.

"Shut up, and listen. We can't escape the city by ourselves, and there's something about earthbending you need to know. I'll tell you later." Lin said.

They were thrown into prison and let loose of their cuffs.

"This is a prison cell?" Katara asked.

"Don't let it fool you. We're still stuck in the city, and even if we could break out, we won't be able to fight past all the guards and police to reach Appa. Plus, Aang's the avatar. Breaking out of an earth kingdom city will do badly for his publicity. And we need the support of the earth kingdom if we're going to win this war." Lin said.

"You seem to know a lot about this stuff." Sokka said.

"The air vents." Aang said, pointing to a vent.

"You're even crazier than the king." Sokka said.

"Momo can fit in there." Aang said, and tried to shove the lemur thru the vent.

"Nice try. Now we need to talk." Lin said, motioning for Aang to sit down.

"Okay. What is it?" Aang asked.

"There are jings when it comes to bending. What do you know of them?" Lin asked.

"Positive jing for attacking, and negative jing for defending." Aang said.

"And there's a third jing. Do nothing." Lin said.

"There are three?" Aang asked.

"There are more, but those three are the main ones. The third jing is a neutral jing. It is the base of earthbending, if you will. You wait for an opportunity to strike, then you strike. You wait and listen." Lin said.

"So that's why you didn't break us out." Aang said.

"Precisely. The king knows you're the avatar. He won't hold you here hostage. That'll be very bad. We'll leave, but I don't know when. For now, lets get some sleep. God knows what these challenges are going to be." Lin said.

The next morning, Aang woke up and saw his friends were gone.

"Where are they?" Aang asked a guard.

"The king will free them if you complete the challenges." The guard said.

"And if I fail?" Aang asked.

"He didn't say. Your staff." The guard said, holding out his hand.

Aang enters the throne room, and sees Bumi wearing a hideous robe.

"First, what do you think of my outfit?" Bumi asked.

"It's looks alright." Aang said.

"Good. You past the first test." Bumi said.

Aang's patience ran thin and he ran up to Bumi.

"I want my friends, now! We're leaving!" Aang demanded.

A door is opened, and Aang sees Katara, Sokka, and Lin being held by the guards. The guards place small rings on their fingers, which contract to fit the finger at once.

"I gave your friends special souvenirs. The rings are made of pure genemite, known as creeping crystals. It's a crystal that grows remarkably fast. By nightfall your friends will be completely covered in it. Terrible fate, really. I can stop it, but only if you cooperate." Bumi said.

"Fine. I'll cooperate." Aang said.

Bumi lead them to a large cavern with a flowing waterfall. In the middle of the waterfall, a key is held by a chain.

"It seems I've lost my lunch box key, and I'm hungry." Bumi said.

"There it is. Would you mind fetching it for me?" Bumi asked, pointing to it.

Annoyed, Aang leaps head first into the water fall and attempts to climb the ladder, but the water's pressure stops him from doing so.

"No-one's thought of that before." Bumi sarcastically said.

Aang is shot out of the waterfall, and slides between two stalagmites, ending in a painful oversplit, just inches from being impaled.

 _Holy crap. Wish I was that flexible. Well, I'll have Aang teach me. Starting tomorrow. God, if he was older, all the things I could do to him with that flexibility…_

Lin put her thoughts away and watched as Aang attempted to get the key.

Aang tries a second time, but is once again shot out of the waterfall, grabbing onto a stalagmite. Aang then breaks off the top of the stalagmite and throws it at the chain. Throwing an air slice to increase its speed, the stalagmite grabs the chain and embeds itself just above Bumi's head.

"There. I want my friends back, now!" Aang demanded.

"Not yet. I need help with another matter. It seems I've lost my pet Flopsy." Bumi said.

 _Who the hell names their pet Flopsy? How was this guy elected king?_ Lin thought, as she slowed down the movement of the genemite crystals she, Sokka, and Katara were imprisoned in.

Now taken to an arena, Aang jumps inside and approaches a bunny.

"Okay. I found him." Aang said.

"Good. Bring him up here." Bumi said, when a larger animal jumps in behind Aang and the bunny. The bunny runs like a bat out of hell, and Aang follows, trying to stay away from the monster. The bunny scurries inside a rabbit hole, and Aang stretches his arm inside to find the bunny.

Finding nothing, Aang looks at the larger animal bearing down on him and gets an idea.

"Flopsy?" He asks.

Flopsy grabs Aang and licks him.

"So that's Flopsy." Lin said.

"This king is beyond crazy." Sokka said.

"You guys okay?" Aang asked, seeing his friends.

"Other than the crystal encroaching on my body, doing fine." Katara said.

Aang looks at Bumi and asks for the final challenge.

And Aang gets it. Everyone is now at an arena, and Aang faces Bumi, and two gladiator fighters. Both of them look real threatening, so Aang picks Bumi to fight.

"Wrong choice." Bumi said. Bumi then corrects his posture and dumps his robes to reveal a very muscular man.

"Oh shit." Lin said, now seeing what Aang is up against.

"You thought I was a frail old man. But I'm the most powerful earthbender you'll see." Bumi said.

With his staff back, the two combatants start fighting. Bumi throws several boulders, which Aang avoided.

"Typical airbender tactic: avoid and evade. I'd hoped the Avatar would be less predictable." Bumi said.

Aang dodges another boulder, and the fight continues. And then rides his airball to counter Bumi's strikes and launches a huge gale of air at Bumi, who blocks it with a sheet of stone raised from the earth.

"Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?" Bumi asked.

Bumi then stands on the stone and slams it to the ground, sending a wave of earth towards Aang, which knocks him back against the wall.

"How are you going to get me over there?" Bumi asked.

"Aang, please. Remember what I told you. Wait for an opportunity." Lin muttered, hoping that Aang could win this round.

Aang runs towards Bumi, who pins Aang down by turning the ground into a quick-sand like substance, then throws two boulders at Aang. Aang barely escapes and charges Bumi, unleashing a blast of wind that knocks Bumi back against the wall.

Bumi raises a fallen boulder and throws it at Aang, bent on stopping him. Aang jumps high and performs a backflip, barely skimming the surface of the boulder. With that failing, Bumi rips the gate area of the arena off its earth mounds and throws and prepares to throw it at Aang. Aang screams in horror and starts to create a large tornado, the only way his airbending could stop that monstrous piece of earth.

"If this works, my hat is off to Aang." Lin said.

"What makes you think it'll work?" Sokka asked.

Bumi throws the boulder, and watches as the tornado grabs the rock structure and throws it back at him. Bumi breaks it in two, and when the dusts settles, Aang appears and aimed his staff at Bumi's head, ready to stab if necessary. Bumi only smiles and looks up. Aang also looks up and sees a large boulder hanging over his head, ready to crush him.

"Very good, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart." Bumi said.

Aang and Bumi meet on the balcony, where Aang's friends were still being encased.

"One last thing. What is my name?" Bumi asked.

"What?" Aang asked.

"You better answer quick, or your friends are dead." Bumi said, walking way.

"How am I supposed to know his name?" Aang asked.

"Think about the challenges. Maybe there's some kind of a riddle." Katara said.

"I got it." Sokka said.

"Yeah?" Aang asked.

"He's an earthbender, right? Rocky." Sokka said.

"That's not it. I saw you in the challenges. You had to think out of the box." Lin pointed out.

"Yeah. I did. To solve each test, I had to think differently than I usually would. I know his name!" Aang said, realizing the truth.

Inside the throne room, Aang and Bumi talked one more time.

"Bumi, you're a mad genius." Aang said.

"Aang, it's good to see you again. You haven't changed a bit. Literally." Bumi said.

"Hey, over here." Katara said.

"Yeah. A little help." Sokka said.

Bumi moved his fist in a pulling back gesture, and the crystals were shattered. Bumi grabbed a piece and started to eat it.

"Genemite is made of rock candy. Delicious." Bumi said.

"You mean we could have eaten our way out?" Sokka asked.

"I don't think you'd want to eat all the rock candy that encased you. What the fuck was all the tests about?" Lin asked.

"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people, hehe, but I do have a reason. Aang, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord, and when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius! And it looks like you're in good hands. You'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation." Bumi said, finishing talking to Aang.

"Thank you for your wisdom. But before we leave, I have a challenge for you." Aang said to the old king.

Lin, Katara, and Sokka watched on Appa as Aang and Bumi raced down the chutes as one final challenge.

"My cabbages!" was heard from inside the city.


	6. Chapter 6 imprisoned

Ch 6 imprisoned

Appa landed in the middle of a deserted area, surrounded by desert.

"This is great. You can teach me some earth bending." Aang said to Lin.

"Not until you learn water. There's a good damned reason the avatar learns the elements in a specific order. I don't know why, but it's like that. I've heard that avatar's who tried to cheat the system, bad things happen to them." Lin said.

"Like what?" Aang asked.

"Don't know. Follow me." Lin said, walking away from the group. Lin and Aang walked a good distance away from Sokka and Katara.

"What are we here for?" Aang asked.

"I saw how flexible you were during the first challenge. I'd like you to teach me how you attained that." Lin said.

"You pulled me out here to do a contortion practice?" Aang asked.

Lin chuckled in response.

"Hell of a way of putting it, but yes. Here, there's no interruptions. Which is good for concentrating on the task at hand." Lin said.

"Okay. But you'll need to remove your armor." Aang said.

"Already done." Lin said, easily discarding her armor with a flick of her wrist.

Aang looked at Lin's tone figure and had to stop himself from drooling.

"Let me guess. Never seen a woman dressed like this before?" Lin asked.

"Uh, sure I have." Aang said, but failed to convince Lin.

Snapping out of it, Aang started the lesson by going thru several stretches. And by several, Aang meant by pushing Lin close to her limits.

"Just remember, you always want to warm up your body. Cold joints and tendons are no good when doing contortions." Aang said, as he went into a backbend.

"I used to be real flexible when I was younger, but age catches up to you." Lin said, as she also went into a backbend. Lin then spins on her hands and collapses a leg towards the ground and landed in the splits.

"I don't know if I need to train you at all." Aang said.

"Considering what we're up against, it's best to have all the advantages we can get." Lin said, as she closed her legs into a butterfly stretch.

Aang grabbed Lin's knees and pressed down on them, giving Lin an extra stretch.

"This feels really good." Lin said, then laid on her back.

"I'm going to grab one of your legs. And trust me." Aang said.

"I trust you." Lin said, and was surprised at that. She rarely trusted anyone.

Aang pushed Lin's left leg backwards all the way to her head. He then moved the leg to the side and continued the stretching, then worked on the right leg.

"Much better." Lin said, as she sat up.

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, and headed towards it.

"What's going on?" Lin asked, meeting Katara and Sokka behind a fallen tree.

They don't answer, but look down into the river bed, seeing an earthbender practicing his earth bending.

"An earthbender." Katara said.

"Lets go meet him." Aang said.

"He looks dangerous, so we better approach cautiously." Sokka said.

Katara ignored Sokka's plan and and ran into the riverbed to talk to the earthbender.

"Hello there! My name's Katara. What's yours?" Katara asked.

The earthbender looked at Katara and ran away, collapsing a load of rock to block the path.

"I just wanted to say hello." Katara said.

"His village must be close by." Lin said.

"And we can get food there." Aang said.

"Which means no nuts for dinner." Katara said.

Heading into the village, Lin pulled Aang close, after her seismic sense said that fire nation soldiers were all over the place.

"What are you doing?" Aang asked.

"So you won't get caught." Lin said.

Katara spotted Haru enter a room, closing the door. She walks in and talks to Haru.

"Hey, you're that earthbender we saw earlier." Katara said.

"You must have me confused with someone else." Haru said.

"No she doesn't. We saw you earthbending." Aang said.

"They saw you what?" Haru's mother asked.

"They're crazy mom. Look at their clothing." Haru said.

The situation was about to be awkward when a heavy knock is heard. Sokka looks thru the blinds and sees fire nation soldiers.

"Fire nation. Act natural." Sokka said.

The soldier walks in, and looks at the 'natural' poses the occupants inside are acting.

"What are you here for? I already paid the tax." The mother said.

"Just doubled. Fork it over." The soldier said, opening his hand and holding a lit flame.

Sighing, Haru's mom gives the soldier more coins out of her dwindling supply. The soldier drops the copper pieces and walks away.

"How long have they been here?" Lin asked.

"Five years. Our town's coal mines are used to fuel the fire navy." The mother said.

"They're thugs. And everyone is too much of a coward to do anything about it." Haru spat.

"Be careful what you say, Haru." The mother chastised.

"Haru's an earthbender. He can help." Katara reasoned.

"Earthbending is forbidden. When the fire nation came, they killed and captured all the earthbenders in the town. Including Haru's father." The mother said.

As night came, everyone set up for the night, and Appa started to eat some of the hay.

"Appa, don't eat their hay." Aang said, airbending the hay away from Appa.

"So Lin, tell me more about yourself." Aang said.

Lin sat next to Aang and talked.

"What do you want to know?" Lin asked.

"Everything. How did you become a metalbender? How are you such a great fighter?" Aang asked.

"I'll talk. And for some reason, I really trust you. But don't say this to anyone else." Lin said, looking around and using her seismic sense to get a better search of the area.

"Aang, I'm from the future. 74 years from the future." Lin said.

"You're kidding. There's no way you're from the future." Aang said.

"Aang, if you'd known me for a long time, you'd know I never lie. I am from the future. It's way too complicated to go into specifics right now." Lin said.

"If that's true, tell me about the future." Aang said.

"I can't say. Hell, I won't say." Lin replied.

Aang knew he wouldn't be able to get more out of Lin, and decided to be content with what he knew.

"Thanks for telling me this." Aang said.

"You're welcome." Lin said, and pulled Aang into a hug. Aang reminded Lin of Tenzin, and she wondered how Tenzin was so different then his father. Tenzin was strict and uptight, while Aang was the complete opposite, even in his old age.

 _Hell, if Aang was in Tenzin's place while I was in republic city, I'd marry Aang. What the fuck!?_

Lin splashed some water on her face to clear her thoughts. Deciding she needed some sleep, she laid on a pile of hay and fell asleep.

Next morning, Lin was woken up when Katara came in, blabbering what happened.

"They took him! They took Haru away!" Katara exclaimed.

"What?" Aang asked.

"The old man turned Haru in. It's my fault. I forced him into earthbending." Katara said.

"Where's the old man?" Lin asked, her voice on edge.

"I don't know." Katara said.

Lin checked her knives and walked out of the shed.

"I better follow Lin, make sure she doesn't get into trouble." Aang said.

It didn't take long for Lin to track down the old man, her seismic sense real handy.

"Are you the man that turned in Haru?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. What about it?" the old man asked.

Lin looked ahead of the old man, seeing no-one else then stabbed him in the stomach. She continued to stab the old man, then sliced his throat wide open.

"Lin?" Aang asked, seeing Lin murder another person.

"It needed to be done. Haru helps him, then gets turned in. This piece of shit should have died in the mines." Lin said, walking away. Aang looked at the corpse one more time then ran after Lin.

"Lin, promise me you won't kill again." Aang said.

Lin snorted and gave Aang a cynical look.

"Really? We're in the middle of a war. We're going to kill enemy soldiers to survive." Lin said.

"I know we're in a war. Killing fire nation soldiers, I can understand. They're the enemy. But earth kingdom citizens?" Aang asked.

"If you collaborate with the fire nation, you're a traitor. If I had a lit candle and flammable liquid with me, I'd burn him alive. It's the only death a traitor deserves." Lin said.

Aang decided not to argue with Lin, knowing he wouldn't win.

"Aang, Lin. We got a plan." Katara said, meeting with the two.

"What plan is it?" Aang asked.

"Simple. The fire nation is going to arrest me for earth-bending." Katara said.

"And how are you going to accomplish that?" Lin asked.

Aang and Lin were told of the plan, and got into position. They waited as Katara and Sokka staged an argument, with some very bad acting.

"Oh god. This isn't going to work." Lin said.

"…Earthbending style!" Katara shouted, raising a fist next to a boulder.

"I said, earthbending style!" Katara shouted again, prompting Aang to airbend thru the ventilation shafts, and the boulder levitated.

"That lemur, its earthbending." A fire nation soldier said.

"Not the lemur, you idiot. The girl." Sokka said.

With Katara arrested, they waited 12 hours to go after her. In the meantime, they stayed in the barn.

"Lin, I need to ask you a question." Aang said.

"What is it?" Lin asked, sharpening her knives.

"In private." Aang said, and walked deeper inside the barn. Lin followed and sat next to Aang.

"Lets say I believe you're from the future. What job did you have?" Aang asked.

"I was the chief of police for Republic City. I won't say where it is." Lin said.

"Okay. Have you ever killed anyone before?" Aang asked.

"I have. A few times in the line of duty. It's not pleasant. You lose a bit of yourself." Lin said.

"So that's not the first." Aang said.

"No. And it won't be the last." Lin said, sighing in trepidation.

"Aang, we'll be busy when we get to the prison. Lets get some sleep." Lin said.

The 12 hours passed, and they headed to the prison in the dead of night. Lin and Sokka stayed with Appa and Aang went into get Katara.

"Your 12 hours are up. Where's Haru?" Sokka asked.

"I'm not abandoning these people." Katara said.

"Katara, we could be spotted any second. We need to leave." Lin said.

"We can't abandon these people. There must be a way to help them." Katara said.

"And how are you going to help them? The prison is nothing but metal, and there are guards all over the place." Lin said.

"Doesn't matter." Katara said.

Unwilling to leave Katara behind, they stayed on the rig and watched Appa leave for cover.

"So what can we do?" Sokka asked.

"I wish I could make a big tornado." Aang said.

Everyone looked at Aang with dead expressions.

"What good would that do?" Lin asked.

"The warden would run away and we'd take his keys." Aang said.

"He'd take his keys as well." Sokka said.

"I tried talking to the earth-benders into fighting back. But it didn't work. There has to be some way to help them help themselves." Katara said.

"This place is nothing but metal, and you only got one metal-bender. Not enough against all the guards." Lin said.

Aang noticed smoke coming out of a chimney.

"Look there. I bet there burning coal. Burning earth." Aang said.

"We're running out of time. Better come up with a plan." Lin said.

"Follow me. I need a layout of the silo." Sokka said, when Lin stopped him.

"No need." Lin said, retracting the sole of her shoes and stomped on the metal, her seismic sense giving Lin a detailed layout of the rig.

"There's a shit load of coal at the bottom of the silo. The whole system is ventilated and…" Lin started.

"I know what you're saying. Me and Katara did a similar thing back at the village. We close all the vents, except one. The coal has one place left to go." Sokka said.

"So where will open vent lead to?" Lin asked.

"Where the prisoners are concentrated." Sokka said.

Morning came, and Sokka, Katara, and Lin stood next to ventilation shaft.

"You sure this is going to work?" Katara asked.

"It will. We just need to wait for Aang." Sokka said, looking around him, grimacing in response.

His worry was well founded, as fire nation soldiers surrounded the trio.

"There's the intruder!" a soldier shouted.

"Stay back!" Sokka said, brandishing his boomerang. Lin unsheathed her arm blades and got ready for a fight.

"Katara, you can't win this fight!" Tyro shouted.

"Listen to him well, child. You're close to dying where you stand." The warden said, as his soldiers advanced on the intruders.

Just then, a river of coal escaped the ventilation shaft and landed between the earthbenders and firebenders.

"Here's your chance, earthbenders! Take it!" Katara shouted, taking a piece of coal in her hands.

But her words had no effect. The earthbenders shirked away, not wanting to fight the fire nation.

"Hahaha! Foolish girl! You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. There spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh? But you still believe in them? How sweet. They're a waste of your energy, little girl. You've failed." The warden smugly said, breaking Katara's spirits as well.

The warden walks away, and a piece of coal is thrown to his head.

Katara looks back and sees Haru twirling some lumps of coal in his left hand, an angry expression on his face.

The warden retaliates with firebending, only for the fire to impact a wall of coal held up by Lin and Tyro.

"For the earth kingdom. Attack!" Tyro shouts, throwing the wall of coal towards the fire nation lines.

The earth and firebenders fight each other, no quarters were given, and no quarters were asked. Lin dissipates a blast of fire and continues to fire coal at the firebenders, taking two out. A firebenders appears in her peripheral vision and fires a blast of flame. Lin's armor protects her from the consuming flames, but the pain is all too real.

"Aghh!" Lin shouts, clutching her side. With anger etched in her face, she leaps towards the fire nation soldier and stabs him to death.

"Get to the ship! We'll hold them off!" Tyro shouts.

The firebenders continue their attack, and Aang turns around to face them, creating a small tornado aimed at the firebenders.

"Give me some coal!" he shouts.

Sokka and Katara put chunks of coal into the tornado, and they get shot out towards the firebenders, knocking them out. Tyro and two earthbenders grab a hold of the entire coal and hold it over the ocean.

"No, please! I can't swim!" the warden pleads.

"Don't worry. I hear cowards float." Tyro said, collapsing the coal into the ocean.

With the warden and his forces dealt with, they stole several fire nation ships and headed back to the earth kingdom.

"We did good. A lot of it." Aang said.

"The fire nation won't be back soon." Lin said.

"What makes you say that?" Aang asked.

"You run from the schoolyard bully he'll keep going after you. But you turn around and hit him in a sensitive spot, he'll think twice about coming after you." Lin said.

"That's good advice." Aang said.

"Depends on you use it." Lin said.


	7. Chapter 7 winter solstice

Ch 7 winter solstice

Flying on Appa, everyone lounged around on the saddle, feeling content. Aang sat on Appa's head, with a reed in his mouth. Sokka sat in the back of the saddle, whittling. Katara is stretched out on her stomach, observing the scenery below. Lin is on the front of the saddle, observing Aang.

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could jump down and land on a big soft cottony heap." Katara said.

"Maybe you should try it." Sokka said.

"You're hilarious." Katara retorted.

"I'll try it!" Aang excitingly said, and jumped right off Appa, laughing and hurtling as he went thru the clouds.

The three other riders looked down where Aang went, looking for him when Aang reappeared, landing on the saddle. He was soaking wet.

"Turns out, clouds are made of water." Aang said, who then airbended himself to keep dry.

"Look at that." Lin said, pointing ahead.

They saw a patch of land, pitch black instead of the green that surrounded it.

"It's like a scar." Sokka said.

 _A good understatement._ Lin thought.

Landing on the ground, they looked around and saw nothing but burnt tree stumps and burnt dirt.

"It's so quiet." Sokka said.

"Why would anyone do this? How could I let this happen?" Aang asked.

"Shit happens, Aang. You just have to deal with it." Lin said.

"And it's not your fault. It had nothing to do with you." Katara said.

"It's the Avatar's job to protect nature. But, I don't know how to do my job." Aang said.

"That's why we're going to the north pole. To find a teacher." Katara said.

"Yeah, a waterbending teacher. But there's no-one who can teach me about being the avatar." Aang said.

"Aang, there are nuts and acorns scattered all over the place. These survived the destruction of the forest, and will one day spring trees and forestry from their roots." Lin said, showing Aang some acorns in her hands.

Aang smiled at Lin, thankful for her advice.

An older man approached the group, eyes wide open.

"Are you the avatar, child?" the old man asked.

"I am." Aang said.

"My village desperately needs your help." The old man said.

They followed him towards his village, and saw a deplorable situation. Many buildings were destroyed, and the people lived in fear. Lin knew from looking at the wreckage that it wasn't the fire nation. But something else attacked.

"This young person, is the avatar." The old man said, to a younger man, the village chief.

"It's true. You've returned. And none too soon." The chief said.

"What's happening here?" Lin asked.

"Hei-bai, the black and white spirit has been attacking our village." The older man said.

"Why is it attacking?" Sokka asked.

"We do not know, but each of the last three nights he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the winter solstice draws near." The chief said.

"What happens then?" Katara asked.

"Both the natural world and the spiritual world grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred." The old man said.

"So you need the avatar to help you with this spirit that's attacking you. Fitting, since he's the bridge between the two worlds." Lin said.

"Precisely." The old man said.

"Hey 'great bridge guy', can we talk for a minute?" Katara asked.

Katara walks over to a window, followed by Aang and Sokka.

As they talked, Lin observed the sun disappear, and was replaced by the stars and moon. Aang headed into the village to confront the attacking spirit.

The spirit monster at first didn't appear, but when Aang turned around and walked back, Hei-bai did appear.

"Aang, behind you!" Lin shouted, and Aang thankfully heeded her advice.

"You must be Hei-bai. I'm…" Aang started, when the spirit cuts him off by a blast of air and blue energy from the spirits mouth.

"Oh shit." Lin said, watching Hei-bai destroy more buildings and a water tower. Aang attempts to get the spirits attention, eventually yelling at it.

"…I command you to turn around now!" he shouted.

Hei-bai did turn around and swatted Aang like a bug. Aang hits a nearby roof and fall onto the ground.

"That's it. He needs help." Sokka said, and exited the building, boomerang in his hand.

"What an idiot." Lin said, and watched as Sokka ran up to Aang. Hei-bai grabs Sokka and heads into the forest. Aang opens his glider and gives chase.

Those inside the building could only way until the sun rose again. Aang and Sokka weren't anywhere to be seen.

"I'm going after them." Lin said, eyeing the approach to the forest.

"No! You shouldn't go in there." Katara said, grabbing Lin.

"You can't stop me, Katara." Lin said, shrugging off Katara.

"She's right. We don't know what's inside the forest." The old man said.

Lin conceded to wait until Aang and Sokka would return. In the meantime, she practiced her earthbending and continued her stretches.

"So, any idea when they'll return?" Katara asked.

"No idea." Lin said.

The day ended, and night came. Everyone gathered inside houses and waited for Hei-bai to return. Aang appeared at the opening of the forest and headed back to the village. Hei-bai also appeared and started to destroy another building.

"Aang, run!" Katara shouted, not wanting him to get captured like Sokka.

Aang didn't run, but jumped onto the head of the spirit and touched his hand on the head.

"You're the spirit of this forest. Now I understand. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest had burned I was sad and upset. But my friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back." Aang said, calming the spirit down.

The spirit transformed into a panda and headed back into the forest. Once it was gone, the missing villagers, and Sokka, came out of the forest.

"Sokka, you're okay." Katara said, approaching her brother.

"What happened?" Sokka asked.

"You were in the spirit world for 24 hours. How do you feel?" Katara said.

"Like I seriously have to use the bathroom right now!" Sokka exclaimed, and ran off.

"Thank you, avatar. If there only were a way to repay you for what you've done." The chief said.

"You can give us some stuff." Sokka said.

"Sokka." Katara angrily said, elbowing her brother.

"He's right. We need stuff." Lin said.

"We'd be honored to help." The chief said.

"Damn good job, Aang. You saved all those people, by yourself." Lin said.

"Well, I also had some help. I may have a way to communicate with Roku." Aang said.

"That's great." Katara said.

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice I'll be able to speak with him." Aang said.

"But the solstice is tomorrow." Katara said.

"Yeah. And that's not the worst part. The island is in the fire nation." Aang said.

Katara and Sokka only looked in dread and horror.

"I'm going with you, Aang." Lin said. Sokka and Katara looked at Lin as if she had lost her mind.


	8. Chapter 8 avatar Roku

Ch 8 Avatar Roku

Lin finished putting the supplies on Appa's saddle and watched as Aang pulled on the reins.

"Lets go, Appa. Come on, boy!" Aang said.

"Yip, yip, Appa." Lin said, but the bison didn't move.

"Ok, I'm sorry, but Katara and Sokka aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself. So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" Aang shouted, and pulled on the reins so hard the whiplash forced him to the ground.

"I think his big butt his telling you something." Sokka said.

"I have to talk to Roku to find out what my vision means. I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the Solstice. That's today." Aang said, jumping back on Appa.

Sokka and Katara stood in front of Appa, and Lin only shook her head. Appa can take off without moving forward. Were those two using their heads?

"We're not letting you go to the fire nation, Aang." Katara said.

"At least not without your friends. We got your back." Sokka said.

"Come onboard." Lin said, smiling at the two siblings. It took great balls and courage to do what they were doing.

Leaving the village, they headed as fast as they could towards the fire nation. They were making good time, but something caught their eye.

"Aang, we got trouble." Katara said.

"And it's coming up fast!" Sokka exclaimed.

Lin looked down at where Katara and Sokka were looking at, and saw Zuko's ship fast gaining on them.

"Oh shit. And we'll be caught between Zuko and the blockade." Lin said.

"That's not good." Sokka said.

Katara watched as Zuko's ship fired a fireball at them, and called it out.

"Fire ball!" she shouted.

Aang pulled hard on Appa's reins. Appa swerves just in time and avoids being hit. Everyone plugs their noses to block out the stench.

"We need to move out of Zuko's range before he shoots another hot stinker at us!" Katara shouted.

"Yeah, but one problem." Aang replied.

They looked ahead and saw the formidable fire nation blockade. Two lines of innumerable fire nation battleships made up the blockade.

"If we fly north, we can avoid the blockade." Aang said.

"There's not enough time." Katara said.

"This is why I didn't want you to come with me. It's too dangerous." Aang said.

"And that's why we're here." Katara replied.

"Lets run this blockade." Sokka added.

Appa soars swiftly towards the blockade, drawing the attention of Zuko and Zhao.

"Aang, listen to me." Lin said.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"You need to fly as close to the ocean as possible. Those trebuchets can't fire line of sight, nor can they hit a flying object. Fast, and low." Lin said.

"Got it." Aang said.

Following Lin's advice, Appa flew low and fast against the fire navy ships. As a result, the fireballs failed to hit Appa, being a small and fast moving target. Zuko wasn't so lucky, as a fire ball impacted the engines and slowed his ship down.

A lone trebuchet fired its fireball at the approaching bison. Aang leaped from Appa and airbent at the fireball, destroying it.

"We made it!" Aang said, as they flew over the blockade.

"We made it to the fire nation. Great." Sokka said in disbelief, his shoulders slumping.

"That was the easy part." Lin warned.

"You call that easy?" Sokka asked.

"Yes. Getting out is always harder." Lin answered.

As Lin soon found out, the hardest part of the journey was reaching the temple. They spent hours flying, and Appa and company was getting tired.

"There it is! The island Roku's dragon took me to!" Aang said, pointing to it.

Appa landed near the temple, and rolls on his side, exhausted.

"You did it, buddy. Nice flying." Aang said to his bison.

"Aang, lets go." Lin said, putting a katana sword on her back.

Crouching behind a wall in front of the temple, they noticed there wasn't any guards.

"We're burning daylight as it is. We go in, and deal with the guards inside." Lin said, and ran towards the temple, Aang right behind her.

Inside, they walk through the halls when Lin notices something.

"We got contacts. 5 of them." Lin said, turning to face the fire sages, pulling out her sword.

And just like that, the sages appeared.

"We are the sages. Guardians of the temple of the avatar." A fire sage said.

"Great. I am the avatar." Aang said, stepping forward. Lin put a hand on his shoulder, knowing they weren't friendly.

"Aang, they're not friendly. We should go." Lin said.

"You're not going anywhere." The sage said.

The leader and two other sages open fired, shooting three fireballs at the group.

Aang deflects the fireballs with airbending, and tells his friends to run.

"You better be right behind us." Lin said, slowly backing away to follow Katara and Sokka.

Aang knocks the fire sages on their backs and runs to find his friends. As he doubled around a corner, Lin grabbed him and motioned for Katara and Sokka to follow her. Lin ran down a hallway, carrying Aang and opened a door, showing a secret passage.

"How'd you know about that door?" Sokka asked.

"Siesmic sense. I'll tell you about it later." Lin said, finally putting Aang down.

They headed inside the secret passage and climbed up a set of stairs.

"You know where you're going?" Aang asked.

"This is the quickest way to find Roku. Did the dragon show you where you can contact him?" Lin asked.

"He showed me." Aang said, when the door opened, and a fire sage walked in.

"Keep going. I'll deal with him." Lin said, pulling out her sword and walked to the sage, holding the sword in front of her.

"Wait, I'm a friend of the avatar." Shyu said, holding his hands up.

"If that's true, on your knees." Lin said.

Shyu dropped to his knees in front of Lin.

"Tell me again." Lin said, putting the blade to Shyu's neck. If he was lying, Lin would kill him.

"I'm with the avatar. I know he's here to communicate with Roku. I can help." Shyu said.

Lin's seismic sense told her he was telling the truth.

"Okay. You're telling the truth. Follow me." Lin said, putting the sword away.

"What's he doing here?" Sokka asked, pointing to Shyu.

"He's with us. If he was lying, he wouldn't be alive right now. And I know if someone's lying." Lin said.

With no choice, they continued up the stairs.

"Roku called this temple his home. He built it himself." Shyu said.

"Did you know Roku?" Aang asked.

"No. My grandfather knew him. Many generations of Fire Sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place." Shyu said.

"Is that how you knew I was coming?" Aang asked.

"A few weeks ago, the statue of Avatar Roku, it's eyes glowed." Shyu said.

"That's when you knew Aang returned." Lin said.

"Then why did the other sages attack me?" Aang asked.

"Things have changed. When Roku died, the sages early awaited the next avatar. But he never came. Loosing hope, they were forced to follow the fire-lord when Sozin started the war. I never wanted to serve the fire lord. When you returned, I knew I'd have to betray the other sages." Shyu said.

"Thanks for helping me." Aang said.

Climbing up the stairs, they entered the top floor of the temple and saw the doors of the sanctuary.

"NO!" Shyu exclaimed.

"Shyu, what's wrong?" Aang asked.

"The doors are closed." Shyu said.

"Can't you open them with firebending?" Katara asked.

"Lin, you're a metalbender. You can open them." Aang said.

"I'll see what I can do." Lin said, and approached the door. Using her seismic sense, she attempted move the locking mechanisms opened, but it didn't give.

"It's temperature and pressure sensitive. Only firebending can open it." Lin said.

"Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise the Sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts." Shyu said.

"Five fire blasts. I can help with that." Sokka said.

Sokka rigged 5 small sacks with lamp oil and explained his plan.

"This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing, Shyu lights the oil soaked twine and tada! Fake firebending!" Sokka said.

Hiding behind the pillars, Shyu lit the fuses and waited as they exploded. Aang ran forward, only to see the doors still locked.

"Why won't they open?!" Aang yelled, airbending at the doors with every word spoken.

"It looks like real firebending. But I don't see how it'll help us." Lin said.

"No, it can. You guys hide. I'll get the remaining sages." Shyu said, working a plan in his head.

Shyu led the sages towards the door, and they opened it with their firebending. Instead of seeing Aang, they saw Momo.

"We've been tricked." A sage said.

Momo then attacked one of the sages, and Lin approaches from behind cover and fires her cables at two other sages and throws them against the wall, knocking them out. Shyu grabs the other sage and holds him prisoner.

"Aang, now!" Shyu shouted.

"The avatar's coming with me!" Zuko said, taking Aang prisoner.

Lin responds by firing her cables which wrap around Zuko, and throws him against the wall, also knocking him out.

Lin then wraps a cable around Aang and throws him inside the sanctuary as the doors begin to close.

A bright light is seen from under the doors, and the mechanism locks.

"We need to hide. Now." Lin said, hiding behind a pillar.

Everyone hid and watched as Zhao and his soldiers appeared. They grabbed Zuko and had him chained to one of the pillars, along with Shyu.

"You're too late, Zhao. The doors are shut and the avatar's sealed inside." Zuko said.

"No matter. He has to come out sooner or later." Zhao said.

Zhao and his soldiers took position in front of the door and waited. Lin, Katara, and Sokka could only wait, as they couldn't fight all those soldiers.

The door opens, and the firebenders shoot fire blasts at the opening, but see something strange happening.

The fire is molded into a spherical shape, as if a firebender were opposing Zhao and his soldiers. The fire dissipates and avatar Roku is seen.

"Holy shit." Katara whispered.

"I know." Sokka whispered back.

Roku shoots the fireball back at its shooters, and knocks the firebenders down. The chains holding Shyu and Zuko are melted, and Zuko runs. Ruko turns to face the cowering sages, and they run for their lives, rather than face the vengeful avatar.

"Roku's going to destroy this temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu warned.

"Not without Aang!" Katara said.

"Get going. We'll find a way out." Lin said to Shyu, and he ran out. Roku proceeds to lay waste to the temple, rending the floor apart, and causing the lava to destroy the structure.

The smoke dissipates, and Aang is left standing in the entrance to the sanctuary. Aang sinks to the floor, and his friends run to his side.

"We got your back." Sokka said.

"Thanks. Where's Shyu?" Aang asked.

"Don't know. We need to leave, now." Lin said.

They run down the stairs, only to see lava flowing where the staircase used to stand. Taking another way, they find themselves standing in a hole bored into the wall. Just when it seems like death would have the last laugh, Appa appears and they jump onto the saddle.

Appa flies away from the temple as it collapses into destruction. A bright moon replaces fire as the visible light source to be seen. Lin grabs a water canteen and drinks the water.

"Hey, Aang. You okay?" Lin asked.

Aang didn't respond, feeling overwhelmed by what Roku told him. He had up to the summer's end to master all the elements. Firebending would be impossible to learn right now.

Lin pulled Aang into a comforting embrace and quietly spoke to him.

"Don't worry about the future. We're here to help you, always." Lin said.

"Thanks." Aang said, sinking further into Lin's embrace.


	9. Chapter 9 the waterbending scroll part1

Ch 9 the waterbending scroll (part 1)

Aang frantically paced back on forth on Appa's saddle. Lin had half a mind wrap him with her cables and pin him to the saddle.

"Would you sit down? If we hit a bump you'll go flying off. What's bugging you?" Sokka asked.

"I have to master the remaining elements before the summer ends." Aang said.

"Lets see, you've already mastered air-bending, so you only got 3 elements left to go." Sokka said.

"Not helping, asshole." Lin sternly said, glaring at Sokka.

"I haven't event started waterbending, and it's weeks away from the north pole! What the fuck am I going to do until then?!" Aang exclaimed.

Katara pulled Aang down and talked to him.

"Calm down. If you want, I can teach you some of what I know." Katara said.

"You'd do that?" Aang asked.

"Sure thing. But we need to find water." Katara said, looking down on the landscape below.

"Maybe we can find you a puddle for you to splash around in." Sokka said.

Landing on the ground, they came eye to eye with a good sized waterfall. Appa swoops in overhead and lands in the water. Aang strips to his underwear and is about to jump in.

"Remember why we're here." Katara said.

Lin only grabbed a bar of soap and headed downstream to wash herself. She had her own methods of training Aang. And she had to train him soon, to get him warmed up for her daughter's brutal regime.

 _Funny. I'll be teaching Aang, and my daughter will be my co-trainer._

Putting the thoughts away, Lin washed herself and floated in the water for a minute, enjoying the silence.

"Aang!" Sokka shouts, followed by a tidal wave.

Or not.

Lin got onto the shore and hid behind a tree as the water flowed, taking their supplies down the creek.

"Nice one, Aang." Lin muttered.

In a village port, they headed thru the various shops and markets, loading up on their supplies. It reminded Lin of the shadier parts of republic city, though these people didn't hold a candle against the triads.

"I bought a bison whistle." Aang said, showing his friends. Aang blew into the whistle, producing a sound of rushing air.

"It doesn't even work. See, even momo's thinks it's a piece of junk." Sokka said.

"No offense, Aang. But I'll hold the money from now on." Katara said, taking the last bits of money.

Entering a pirate ship, they looked at the various merchandises on display. Lin opened an earthbending scroll and looked at the various beginner-intermediate forms. Lin put the scroll inside her armor and follows the group as they leave the boat.

"Hey, you! Get back here!" the pirate barker shouted.

"Well, well. Told ya the haggling would pay off." Aang said.

The pirate form up to fight Aang, weapons out.

"I don't think those pirates are here to trade with us!" Katara said, backing away.

Quickly observing their numbers, Lin fired fist sized rocks at the pirates in machine gun like patterns. The fast moving rocks knock the pirates on their feet and they run back to camp.

"I used to look up to pirates. But those guys are nasty." Aang said.

"I know. That's why I took this." Katara said, pulling the waterbending scroll out of her shirt.

"That makes both of us." Lin said, taking the earthbending scroll out of her armor as well.

"No wonder they were ready to hack us up." Sokka said.

"Yeah, and if it wasn't for my earthbending, ya'll would be dead." Lin said.

"You said I couldn't learn earthbending until I learned water." Aang said.

"Thought about it, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to have you train earth and water at the same time. One day, you'll learn water. The next day, earth. So on and so on." Lin said.

"Sounds like a good plan. I just want to try this one move, then it's all yours." Katara said.

They watched as Katara practiced the water whip, but failed to do so.

"Tomorrow, you can teach Aang waterbending. I'll start with his earthbending." Lin said.

Pulling Aang away from the water, Lin opened the scroll.

"First thing about earth-bending. You must have a firm stable stance." Lin said, demonstrating a horse stance.

"Right. Firm stance." Aang said, following Lin's pose.

Lin stood up and approached behind Aang. She grabbed his hips and slowly moved them up half an inch, and spread his legs more apart.

"Uh, Lin?" Aang asked, having never gotten this close to a teacher before.

"Trust me." Lin said, then backed off.

"Take your shoes off." Lin said, taking her metal shoes off.

"What for?" Aang asked.

"To learn earthbending, you need to have a connection to the earth. Being barefoot tends to help." Lin said.

Lin had Aang go thru the various earth-bending movements, then started some earth-bending. Lin moved a rock into position, stood in front of it, and pushed the rock a few meters.

"You try." Lin said.

Aang approached the rock and made the same move, only for Aang to be launched several feet backwards.

"You got it wrong. You have to face it head on. Earthbending is all about durability. Remember when I told you about neutral jing? Wait then strike?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. I remembered." Aang said.

"For neutral jing to work, you have to face your situations head on. After you endure it, you strike back when an opportunity shows itself." Lin said.

"Yeah. That's the problem. Since fire and water are opposites…" Aang started.

"Earth and air are also opposites. I have an idea. The two of us spar, right now. I'll stick with earth-bending, you can use anything and everything at your disposal. Airbending, earthbending, even the avatar state." Lin said, taking her armor off and putting aside.

"Lin, you sure this is the best idea?" Aang asked, assuming an earthbending stance.

"Think fast!" Lin said, and shot a medium sized rock towards Aang.

Aang dodged the rock and used airbending against Lin. Lin easily dodged the air slices and returned fire. Aang jumped high to avoid the rock projectiles and landed on a tree branch.

Lin only raised an eyebrow and earthbended a sharpened rock towards the branch, destroying the tree branch and Aang fell to the ground.

Lin grabbed Aang and pinned him against the tree, pressing against him.

"So, how did I win?" Lin asked.

"You're stronger, faster, more experienced." Aang said.

"If you had stood and fought, you might have had a chance against me. If you had done this shit with king Bumi, you'd be dead. You're lucky I was holding back." Lin said, and walked away.

As she walked away, Aang fired an airblast that knocked Lin down.

"You want a fight, I'll fight." Aang said, and fired another air blast. Lin dodged it and fired another medium sized boulder at Aang.

As Aang dodged the boulder, he felt a piece of earth wrap around his torso and throw him to the ground. Lin quickly straddled Aang and pinned his arms above his head.

"You still got a lot to learn." Lin said.

Aang attempted to get up, only for Lin to push him back on the ground, still straddling him.

"Lin, what are you doing?" Aang asked.

Lin didn't respond but turned her head to see Sokka walk through the brushes and saw Lin and Aang in a compromising position.

"What are you two doing?" Sokka asked.

"Uh, nothing." Aang said.

"Sure. We're burning daylight. Time to hit the hay." Sokka said.


	10. Chapter 10 part 2

Ch 10 part 2

Daylight came, and Katara was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't believe it." Sokka said, searching his bag, and did not find the scroll.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"She took the scroll. She's obsessed with it." Sokka said.

Lin barely reacted as the pirates attack them. Sokka is yanked out of his sleeping bag, but manages to fight back. Aang is quickly captured via net. Another net is fired at Lin, but Lin erects a piece of earth that stops the net in its tracks. And before she can fight again, another next is launched at her blind spot, and she is captured with everyone else.

At the beach, Zuko, his crew, and the pirates are meeting and going over the plans.

"Aang, this is all my fault." Katara said.

"No it's not." Aang said.

"Yeah, it kind of is." Iroh said.

"I'd have to agree. It is your fault, Katara." Lin also said.

Katara had a defeated look on her face.

"Now, give us the boy." Zuko said.

"You give us the scroll." The pirate captain said.

"You're really going to hand over the avatar for a piece of parchment?" Sokka asked.

"He's right. It does seem really stupid." Lin said, quickly catching onto what Sokka's plan was.

"Don't listen to him! He's trying to turn us against each other." Zuko said.

"Just think it over. You can get any water-bending scroll. But there's only one avatar. Which do you think is more valuable and therefore more pricy?" Lin asked.

"It's a bargin you'll never see again." Sokka said.

"Shut your mouth, both of you!" Zuko said.

"Lin, Sokka. You should really shut your mouth." Aang said, clearly not getting what Lin and Sokka were trying to do.

"Keep the scroll. We can buy a hundred with the reward we will get for the kid." The pirate said.

"Hook, line and sinker." Lin muttered, as Zuko and his soldiers fired at the pirates.

Lin cuts herself free and releases Sokka and Aang, as the battlefield is enveloped in smoke. Lin barely jumps out of the way as a spear is thrusted at her direction. Lin takes the spear and thrusts it back, satisfied when she heard a scream.

"Follow me." Lin said, taking Aang and Sokka out of the smoke, as everyone else continues the melee.

Heading towards the shore, they find Katara attempting to push the pirate's ship into the water.

"Help me get this boat back in the water so we can get out of here!" Katara shouts.

"Aang, Katara. Move the water back and forth. I'll cut away at the earth." Lin said, as she removed the beached earth with her earthbending. Katara and Aang caused the tide to come in, and the pirate ship was in the water.

"Everybody in!" Katara says.

Sailing away, they watch as the pirates take Zuko's ship for themselves.

"We got company!" Lin shouts.

"This ship wasn't built by the water-tribe. I don't know how to control it." Sokka said.

"Katara, Aang. Use your waterbending to increase our speed. If they board us, we're dead." Lin said.

Taking her advice, Katara and Lin stand on the bow of the ship and push and pull the water, increasing their speed.

"Guys, look!" Aang shouts, as they approach a waterfall.

"We can stop the boat! Aang, together. Push and pull the water." Katara says.

Lin grabs the bison whistle from Aang's shirt and blows into it, hoping that Appa could hear it.

"Are you crazy? This isn't time for flute practice." Sokka said.

"I'm hoping Appa can hear it. If not, we're all dead." Lin said, putting the whistle away.

The ship turns a full 90 degrees and holds position, unable to move in any direction.

"We're doing it!" Katara said, continuing her waterbending.

"We got another problem!" Sokka says, pointing behind them.

Zuko's cutter bears down on them, with no intention of slowing down. They crash into the captured pirate ship, and both go over the edge.

"Jump!" Lin shouts, and jumps with everyone else.

As they fall, Appa appears out of nowhere and they slam face down onto the saddle. The pirates crash at the bottom of the waterfall.

"Hey, Aang. Thanks for getting us out." Lin said, handing Aang his bison whistle.

"Told you it would come in handy." Aang said.

"So, anyone got the water scroll?" Lin asked.

"I got it." Sokka said, pulling it out.

"The scroll!" Katara exclaims, and reaches for it, but Sokka pulls it back.

"First, what did you learn?" Sokka asked.

"Stealing is wrong." Katara said, taking the scroll. "Unless it's from pirates."

"Good one, Katara." Aang said.

The next day, Katara and Aang started their waterbending training.

"First, is the water whip." Katara said, observing the pose.

Katara bent the water, and went thru the movements, performing a poor man's water whip.

"Let me try again." Katara said, and her second attempt was more successful.

As Katara and Aang continued their practice, Sokka approached Lin.

"Hey, Lin. You think you can help me with something?" Sokka asked.

"What is it?" Lin asked.

"Well, you're a hell of a fighter, and Suki has taught me some things. I was wondering if you can help train me." Sokka said.

"Sure thing." Lin said.

The two headed to a quiet spot to conduct training.

"Come at me." Lin said.

Sokka came forward with his club, and swung it at Lin. Lin dodged it, grabbed Sokka's arm and pushed him away.

"Remember. Use your opponent's energy against them. Try and block me." Lin said.

Lin unsheathed her arm blades and swung at Sokka. Sokka took her advice, and dodged Lin's move. Putting a foot in front of Lin, he pushed her forward and caused her to trip over his foot.

"Good ingenuity. Lets continue." Lin said.

Katara and Aang finished their water bending training when Sokka and Lin came back.

"I have to admit, Lin knows a lot. More than Suki. Don't tell her that." Sokka said.

As night came, Lin stayed up.

"Katara mentioned meeting some guy named Jet, after the meeting with the pirates." Lin muttered to herself, recounting history thru her head.

"What about the pirates?" Aang asked, approaching Lin.

"Hey, Aang." Lin said, sitting down, and invited Aang to do so.

"So what about the pirates?" Aang asked.

"Doubt we'll see them again." Lin replied.

"Hope so. In the future, did you have to deal with stuff like that?" Aang asked.

"So you're believing I'm from the future?" Lin asked.

"Jury's still out. But I'd like to know." Aang said.

"Okay. The city I was protecting, had triad problems. Triad's are nothing more than benders that are gangs. Earthbender gangs, waterbender gangs, firebender gangs. While they weren't a military threat, like the fire nation is, they were still a pain in the ass." Lin said.

"This city. What was it like?" Aang asked.

 _You help build the city, right after the end of the war._ Lin thought, but decided not to tell him.

"The view from the air, is amazing. At night, the city glows with lights and candles. A hell of view. It was built as a city of peace. As many problems as it has, it's still better off than most cities in the world." Lin said.

"Sounds amazing. Hopefully, I'll live long enough to see it." Aang said, laying down to sleep.

"Don't worry. You will." Lin said, laying down next to Aang.

As they drifted to sleep, Lin leaned forward and lightly kissed Aang, her lips on his.


	11. Chapter 11 Jet

Ch 11 Jet

"Where's Momo?" Aang asked, not seeing his lemur.

"He's probably on someone's dinner plate." Lin said.

"Not funny." Aang said.

"Just saying." Lin said.

Heading into the forest, they found Momo and several hog monkeys captured in spherical metal cages. Lin metalbended the cages open, and the animals fell out.

"Okay, that works." Aang said, as they observed the metal cages.

"Fire nation. You can tell by the design. We should pack up, and keep moving." Sokka said.

After they finished packing up the supplies, they were about to put them on Appa when Sokka intervened.

"Uh-uh. No flying this time." He said.

"Why?" Katara asked.

"Think about it. Prince Zuko and the fire nation keep on finding us because they see Appa. He's just too noticeable." Sokka said.

"Sokka, you're right about that. But we can move faster in the air, a lot quicker than the fire can on foot, even with mechanized vehicles and animals. Besides, Aang needs to get to the North Pole." Lin said.

"You know, she is right." Aang said.

"What, are you the leader now?" Sokka asked.

"No. Aang is." Lin said.

"He's just a goofy kid." Sokka said.

"He's right, you know." Aang said, hanging upside down from Appa's horns.

"Why do boys always think someone has to be the leader? You wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl." Katara said.

"I have kissed a girl, you just haven't met her yet." Sokka said.

"It's Suki, isn't it?" Lin asked.

"How'd you know?" Sokka asked.

"Seismic sense." Lin said.

"Whatever. Some crazy earthbending magic stuff. Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot and a leader has to trust his instincts." Sokka said.

They started walking, and quickly grew tired of it.

"Walking stinks! How do people go anywhere without a bison?" Aang asked.

"I don't know Aang. Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts? They seem to know everything." Katara said.

"I'm tired of carrying this pack." Aang said.

"You know who you should ask to carry it for a while? Sokka's instincts." Katara said, teasing Sokka about his decision to walk on land.

"Okay, I get it. I'm tired too, but the important thing is that we're safe from the fire nation." Sokka said, pushing past a bush, and walks into a clearing with a fire nation encampment in it. Both sides look at each other before all hell breaks loose.

"Get behind me!" Lin shouts, and raises an earth barrier as a firebender shoots a jet of flame. The earth barrier protects them from the flame, and the fire nation soldiers call for them to surrender.

"Fuck off!" Lin shouts, ready to fight.

A screaming noise is heard, and Lin drops the earth barrier to see what's happening. One of the fire nation soldiers lies on the ground, dead. An arrows is sticking out of his neck.

"Look!" Katara shouts, pointing to the trees.

Jet leaps from the trees, and takes down a pair of soldiers. Following behind him, his freedom fighters jump into the fray. As quickly as the battle started, it was all over, as the guerrilla fighters make quick work of the 16 fire nation troops. Jet snagged a few kills from Sokka, much to his ire.

"You just took out an entire army by yourself." Aang said.

"That was just 16 guys." Sokka said.

"Well you couldn't have killed them all by yourselves. Be thankful you're still alive." Lin said, as she walked into the camp.

"My name is Jet. And these are my freedom fighters. Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, the Duke, and Pipsqueak." Jet said.

Lin paid no attention as she looked around for additional weapons, finding a few straight edge swords, but tossed them out. She preferred kantana's.

"We'll take the stuff back to the hideout." Pipsqueak said.

"You have a hideout?" Aang asked.

"You want to see it?" Jet asked.

Katara quickly slid up to Jet, practically begging him.

"Yes we want to see it!" Katara said.

 _Now I fucking remember. I'll let Katara find out on her own._ Lin said, not wanting to tell Katara that Jet wasn't who he was.

Heading into the forest, Jet stopped the group at the base of a tree.

"We're here." Jet said.

"Where… there's nothing here." Sokka said.

"Hold this." Jet said, handing Sokka a rope with a loop on the end.

"What does this do?" Sokka asked, and was promptly sucked upward into the trees.

Lin fired her cables upward and snagged into the top of the trees. She rose upward thanks to the cable and when she arrived at the top, she was greeted to a hell of a view. The tree tops had multiple treehouses built into them, connected to other trees.

"Nice place you got!" Aang said.

"It's beautiful." Katara said.

"Beautiful, and the fire nation can't find it." Jet said.

"They would love to find you, wouldn't they?" Smellerbee asked.

"It's not going to happen." Jet smirked.

"Why would they want to find you?" Katara asked.

"Gee. He's the leader of a guerrilla force. What would you expect?" Lin asked.

"She's right. We've been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything we can to mess with them." Pipsqueak said.

"You see, they captured a town a few years back. One day, we'll drive the fire nation out and free the town." Jet said.

Lin rolled her eyes, knowing that any success wouldn't last for long.

"Hate to tell you, Jet. But even if you do manage to retake the town, you'll take too many casualties to hold it from a resurgent fire nation attack. Stick to the guerrilla war. It'll pay off in the long run." Lin said.

"That's one good option." Jet said.

"So you all live here?" Katara asked.

"That's right. Longshot's town was burned by the fire nation. We found the Duke trying to steal some of our food. I don't think he ever had a home." Jet said.

Lin hung back from the group, not wanting to listen. This wasn't her war, but she was already involved whether she liked it or not.

That night, they were at a banquet, celebrating their victory. Ropes with glowing lanterns hung between the many branches, giving them light.

"Today, we just struck a blow against the fire nation swine." Jet said, taking a drink.

As everyone cheers, Jet continues his speech.

"You know, the fire nation doesn't think a bunch of kids in the woods are much of a threat. Maybe they're right. Maybe they're dead wrong." Jet said, in a darker tone.

"Great speech, Jet." Katara said.

"Thanks. By the way, I'm impressed by you and Aang. That was some great bending." Jet said.

"Well, he's the avatar. I could use some more training." Katara said.

"Aang can still use training as well. Don't forget it." Lin pointed out.

"So who are you?" Jet asked.

"Name's Lin. I'm a special ops. Been fighting for years on end. And I'm Aang's earth-bending teacher." Lin said.

"The avatar's lucky to have you as a teacher. Veterans are rare now a days." Jet said. He drank from his cup and had an idea.

"I know a way how ya'll can help us with our struggle." Jet said.

"Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight." Sokka said, standing up and leaving.

"Sokka, you're kidding me. I need you on am important mission tomorrow." Jet said.

"What mission?" Sokka asked, eying Jet with distrust.

Lin also eyed Jet with distrust. Later that night, Lin stood on one of the trees and looked down. She couldn't see past the lower branches and trees, and knew the fire nation wouldn't be able to see them as well. For the moment, they were truly safe.

"What are you doing?" Aang asked.

Lin turned around and entered a metal-bending stance, ready to strike.

"God, Aang. You're feet are like twinkle toes." Lin said, using the same nickname her mom used on Aang. It felt very weird to say that.

"Just light on my feet. You should also know." Aang said.

"What do you mean?" Lin asked.

"You're also light on your feet when you need to be." Aang said.

"So, what's on your mind?" Lin asked, sitting on a branch. Aang sat in her lap.

"Everything's going great right now. We're in this giant tree house, and we're safe from the fire nation." Aang said.

"Aang, I hate to break the truth, but I'm going to warn you. Jet is not who you think he is." Lin said.

"He saved us back there." Aang said.

"That he did. But something is off about him. He has a secret agenda, and is damn good about hiding it." Lin warned.

"Don't tell me you're turning into Sokka." Aang said.

"I'm just saying. Here's something my mom told me. 'Listen to what people mean, not what they say.' It'll make you wise." Lin said.

"So you going on this mission with Sokka and Jet?" Aang asked.

"I am. The two aren't trained soldiers. I am." Lin lied. While she was trained in combat, she wasn't a soldier.

The next morning, Jet, Sokka, and Lin were in a tree, watching the road. Jet and Sokka were sitting on one tree branch, while Lin was on another higher branch. Watching, Lin saw Sokka and Jet descend on an old man, with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee cutting off the old man's escape.

"Jet, he's just a harmless old man." Sokka said, stopping Jet from killing the old man.

"He's fire nation. Remember what the fire nation did to you? Remember why you fight, Sokka!" Jet said.

"We got his stuff, Jet." Smellerbee said, holding a bag.

They left, but Sokka stayed behind for a second, contemplating his situation.

Lin swung treetop to treetop to reach Katara and Aang.

"Lin, you're back." Aang said.

"Get Katara. I have to talk to both of you." Lin said.

Inside there room, Lin told them what happened.

"Jet's crazy. I saw him attack an old man, hobbling on a walking stick. He was no threat at all." Lin said.

"That's crazy. There must be a reason for that." Katara said, not believing Lin.

"Sokka was there." Lin said, when Sokka came in, and started to pack up his things.

"Sokka, what are you doing?" Aang asked.

"We're leaving." Sokka said.

"Because of what Jet did? Lin told us." Katara said.

"Yeah. He's a thug. He beat and robbed a harmless old man." Sokka said.

"I want to hear Jet's side of the story." Katara said.

"So you'll believe some kid you just met, but not your brother?" Lin asked.

Inside Jet's room, they met. Sokka and Lin stood away from Jet, with good reason.

"Sokka, Lin. You told them what happened but failed to mention he was fire nation?" Jet asked.

"No. They forgot that part out." Katara said.

"Fine. But he was a harmless old man." Sokka said.

"He was an assassin, Sokka." Jet said, and stabbed a knife in the wooden table.

Jet pulls on a ring located on the back of the knife, showing a vile filled with a red liquid.

"There's a compartment in the knife. He was sent to eliminate me. You saved my life, Sokka." Jet said.

"I'm thru with this shit." Lin muttered, and walked away.

"There was no knife." Sokka said, and walked away after Lin.

Sokka and Lin finished packing away their gear, when Katara and Aang came in.

"We can't leave! The fire nation is about to burn down the forest." Katara said.

"I'm sorry, Katara. Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him." Sokka said.

"You know what I think, I think you're jealous that he's a better warrior and leader." Katara snapped.

"And you should follow your mind, not your damned heart. Think about it. Say the fire nation is going to burn down the forest. Even if we help, we'll have to leave, and the fire nation will be back. The boy thinks staying here in the forest will protect him forever. It won't. Guerrilla war means you keep moving all the time. Jet sure as hell isn't. We need to leave now Katara, before Jet drags us all into something terrible." Lin said.

"Well me and Aang are staying." Katara said, walking away.

"Sorry, guys." Aang said, following Katara.

That night, Jet and some of his followers moved down the tree lines to the ground.

"Where are they going?" Sokka muttered, and headed to follow them.

Lin, being a light sleeper, woke up and followed Sokka.

The two hid among the bushes and heard Jet talk to Longshot and the Duke.

"Wait until I give the signal." Jet said to Longshot.

Sokka was captured by Smellerbee and Pipsqueak, and brought in front of Jet. Lin waited for an opportunity to attack. Knowing that the freedom fighters were set on destroying the dam, Lin and Sokka had to warn the town of the impending destruction.

"Take him for a walk. A long walk." Jet said.

"You can't do this!" Sokka shouted, pleading with Jet not to kill everyone in the town.

"Cheer up, Sokka. We're going to win a great victory against the fire nation today." Jet said.

Lin moved in the shadows of the trees, keeping an eye on Smellerbee and Pipsqueak.

"Keep moving." Smellerbee said, pushing Sokka forward.

"You're going to let Jet massacre an entire village?" Sokka asked.

"Jets a great leader. We follow what he says, and things turn out great." Pipsqueak said.

A cable wrapped itself around Smellerbee and threw the young girl against a tree trunk, knocking her out.

Pipsqueak looked around to see where the attack came from, then turned back when he heard Sokka run. Pipsqueak ran after Sokka, only to be ensnared by a leaf-pile and strung many feet into the air.

"By the way, you might want to work on your knot-work." Sokka said, holding his now worthless binding.

"Sokka, we need to warn the town." Lin said, approaching him.

"My thoughts exactly. We'll take Appa." Sokka said, turning to run towards the bison.

Getting on the bison, they made their way towards the town, and Sokka went in to convince them to leave. The fire nation soldiers initially thought him as a spy, but the old man vouched for Sokka, and they left.

"Yes! Now time to get to everyone else." Sokka muttered.

"Yip-yip." Lin said, holding the reigns.

"Faster, Appa!" Sokka says, hoping he could still stop Jet before the dam was blown.

A loud explosion is heard, and they look down from the bison. They see all the water flow down the creek and swarm the town, destroying it.

"Oh god. If we didn't get them out…" Sokka muttered, knowing they were cutting it real close.

"Lets find Aang and Katara." Lin said, not wanting to think about it.

Coming closer to a cliff, they heard Jet and Katara talk.

"This was a victory, Katara. Remember that. The fire nation is gone, and this valley will be safe." Jet said.

"It will be safe-without you." Sokka said, rising on Appa.

"Sokka!" Katara shouts in joy, happy her brother is alive.

"At first they didn't believe me. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy. But one man vouched for me—the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust me, and we got everyone out in time." Sokka said.

"You're traitors! Both of you! We could have freed this valley!" Jet shouted.

"Who would be free? Everyone would be dead. What freedom is in that?" Sokka asked.

"You still betrayed us." Jet retorted.

"No. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." Lin coldly said.

Jet made one final plea to Katara.

"Katara, help." Jet said.

"Good-by, Jet." Katara said.

Flying in the sky, they headed away from the freedom fighters.

"We thought you were going to the damn. Why'd you go to the town?" Aang asked.

"When we found out, that was the only option. We couldn't fight all the freedom fighters, so we took another way." Lin said.

"Let me guess. Instincts." Katara said.

"Sometimes, they're right." Sokka said.

"Sokka, you know we're going the wrong way." Aang said.

"And sometimes they're wrong." Sokka said, and pulled on Appa's reigns.


	12. Chapter 12 the storm

Ch 12 the storm

"Aang, snap out of it!" Lin says, shaking Aang.

"What happened?" Aang asked, waking up, looking at Lin.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked, waking up in her sleeping bag; it was dark at night, and they were trying to sleep.

"It's nothing." Aang said.

"You were saying 'I didn't mean to leave.' Over and over. That isn't nothing." Lin said.

"Lin, I just need to rest." Aang said, laying down.

Rather than push Aang, Lin lay down next to him, hoping he wouldn't have another nightmare.

When they woke, the clouds were clear as they could be.

"Look at those clear skies. Should be some smooth flying." Aang said.

"Well, we better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, cause we're out of food." Katara said.

Suddenly, Sokka freaked out.

"Guys, this happened in my dream. We shouldn't go to the market." Sokka said.

Lin only smirked, knowing Sokka would come up with some crazy story.

"Food eats people! And Momo could talk. You said some very unkind things. And Lin and Aang were married." Sokka said, causing Lin to spit out some water she was drinking.

"Glad that's just a dream." Lin said.

"I'm just saying." Sokka said.

"Yeah. You keep your crazy ideas in your head." Lin said, getting on the saddle.

At the market, Katara was getting a watermelon and was concerned about its ripeness.

"Swishing means it's ripe." Aang said.

"I just remembered. We're out of money." Katara said, giving the watermelon back.

"Great. No food and no money. What are we going to do?" Sokka asked.

"You could get a job, smart guy." Katara said.

Their attention was brought to an old couple arguing about the weather.

"We shouldn't go out there! The fish can wait. There's going to be a terrible storm." The old woman said.

"You're crazy. It's a nice day, so quit your nagging, woman." The old man said.

"Maybe we should find shelter." Aang said.

"From what?" Lin asked, seeing nothing but clear skies.

The old couple continue their argument.

"My joints say there's going to be a storm! A bad one." The old woman said.  
"Well, it's your joints against my brain." The old man replied.  
"Then I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish, cause I ain't comin!" the old woman replied.

"Then I'll hire someone else, and pay him double." The old man said.

"I'll take it." Sokka said.

"You're hired." The old man said.

As Sokka was busy loading a fishing boat, the storm began to come in.

"Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea. Look at the sky." Aang said.

"I said I was going to do this job. I can't back out now because of some bad weather." Sokka said.

"The boys with the tattoos has some sense. You should listen to him!" the old woman said.

"Boy with tattoos." The old man said, realizing something.

"You're the avatar." He said, pointing to Aang.

"That's right." Katara said.

"Well don't be so happy. The avatar disappeared for a hundred years. You turned your back on the world." The old man said.

"Don't yell at him! Aang would never turn his back on anyone." Katara defended.

"Really? Then I must be imagining the last hundred years of suffering and war." The old man said.

Lin watched as Aang shrank from the guilt piling up, and backed away.

"Aang is the bravest person I know! He has done nothing but help people and save lives since I met him. It's not his fault he disappeared, right Aang? Aang? What's wrong?" Katara asked, as Aang opened his glider and flew away.

"You've got to be kidding me." Lin said, getting on the bison. Katara got on the bison as well and took off to find Aang.

"You said Aang continued to say 'I didn't mean to leave.' Any idea what that means?" Katara asked.

"Why are you asking me?" Lin asked, putting her long coat on, as the rains began to fall.

"You and Aang are very close. You must know something about this." Katara said.

"He never told me anything about this. Whatever 'this' is." Lin said.

Reaching a cave dug into the mountain, they saw Aang sulking in the cave, facing away from them.

"Aang, what's going on?" Lin asked, approaching him.

"I don't want to talk about it." Aang said.

"Talk about what? Your dream? The fact that you were missing for a hundred years?" Katara asked.

"Aang, talk to us." Lin said, kneeling next to him, and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Appa and Momo came inside the cave, plugging the entrance.

"I'm going to get a fire." Katara said.

With a fire going, Aang spoke.

"I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the avatar. I was teaching some kids on how to make an air-scooter. The last airbending move that got me my tattoos." Aang said.

"How did the monks know?" Katara asked.

"When I was younger, I picked 4 toys the monks gave me to choose. It was avatar relics, or so they told me. That was how they knew." Aang said.

"So you were upset that you were the avatar? Why wouldn't you be excited about it?" Katara asked.

"I didn't know how to feel about it. After news spread around the temple, everything began to change." Aang said.

"Ostracized. Can't believe they did that to you." Katara said.

"And just when I was getting used to it, things got worse." Aang said.

"How bad did it get?" Lin asked.

"I overheard the monks. They were going to send me away to complete my training." Aang said.

Katara looked at Aang, sorrow on her face.

"That's awful. I don't know what to say." Katara said.

Aang stood up and continued to vent.

"How could they do that? They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" Aang shouted, briefly entering the avatar state. Cinders from the fire begin to swirl, and almost hit Katara.

"Woah! Hot cinders." Katara says, shielding herself with her hands.

"I'm sorry I got mad." Aang said, exiting the avatar state.

"Don't. You have every right." Lin said.

Aang sat down and continued to spill it out.

"It wasn't like that. I was afraid and confused. I didn't know what to do, so I left." Aang said.

"I never saw Gyatso again. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms after you found me in the iceberg." Aang said.

"Then the blitzkrieg came." Lin said.

"Yep. My people needed me, and I wasn't there to help." Aang said.

"Aang, you would have died had you stayed." Katara said.

"How do you know that? Both of you?" Aang asked.

"Aang, you only know air-bending, and you're barely learning water and earth. You don't know fire. You're not a trained soldier. You would have had no chance of survival." Lin said.

"Lin's right. But you're here now. You give people hope." Katara said.

Aang slowly smiles at both of them, when someone appears at the entrance of the cave.

"Help! Please, help!" the older woman said.

"It's okay. You're safe with us." Katara said.

"But my husband isn't." the old woman said.

"What do you mean? Where's Sokka?" Katara said.

"Still in the storm. And it's turning into a typhoon." The old woman said.

"I'm going after them." Aang said, standing up.

Leaving the cave, Aang, Katara, and Lin rode on Appa, searching the stormy seas for Sokka and the old man.

"There!" Aang says, pointing to the boat.

"Hold Appa steady!" Lin shouts, as she readies her cables to grab Sokka and the old man. When they get closer, Lin fires her cables and they wrap around Sokka and the old man. Lin quickly jerks them aboard the bison, when an enormous tidal wave swallows them.

"Shit!" Lin screams, as the wave swallows them.

Under the water, everyone drifts away from the bison, as they are minutes away from a watery tomb. The avatar state kicks in, and Aang grabs a hold of the reigns. He surrounds everyone with a ball of energy and rises up from the water.

As they break free from the storm, Aang looks down at Zuko, wondering if the prince is going to chase him or not. Zuko's ship turns towards the eye of the storm, deciding not giving chase.

"Take us back to the cave." Katara says, and hears a retching nose. Lin is hanging over the saddle, gripping her stomach.

"I. Fucking. Hate. Saltwater." Lin says, putting her finger down her throat.

Inside the cave, the old man talks to Aang.

"Thank you, Avatar. You saved my life." He said.

"Seriously, you're still going to pay me, right?" Sokka asks, holding out his hand.

The old man drips a full fish onto Sokka's hand.

"That's one way of payment." Lin says.

"Katara, Lin. You're both right. I'm done dwelling on the past." Aang said.

"You sure?" Lin asked.

"I'm sure. I can't change what happened, but I can change what happens now and tomorrow." Katara said.

"That's good wisdom, Aang." Lin said.

"Listen. I think the storm's stopped." Sokka said, and went outside, everyone else following.

Outside, a bright sun was showing, the storm gone. Appa then shakes himself, splattering water on everyone.

"Appa!"


	13. Chapter 13 the fortuneteller

Ch 13 the fortuneteller

The group was sitting on an embankment, minding their own business. Aang was busy working on something with his hands, while Sokka was trying to fish.

"He's not getting away and… where's the line?" Sokka asked, as he looked at his now useless fishing stick.

"Didn't think you'd need it." Aang said, holding a necklace.

"Great. It's all tangled." Sokka said.

"Not tangled. Woven." Aang replied.

"Besides, I still got metal cables to use." Lin said, and captured a fish with her cables.

"I made you a necklace, Katara. Since you lost the other one…" Aang said, giving it to Katara.

"Thanks, Aang. I love it." Katara said.

"Great. So instead of saving the world, you can go into jewelry." Sokka said, as he started to cut up the fish.

"I don't see why I can't do both." Aang said.

"How do I look?" Katara asked.

Aang turned around, and deeply blushed, having the look of a love-struck school boy.

"You look great." Aang said.

"Looks like someone's in love." Sokka said, observing the whole thing.

"Stop teasing him, Sokka. Aang's just a good friend. A sweet little guy. Like Momo." Katara said.

 _Friend-zoned. Harsh as fuck._ Lin thought, as she saw Aang's facial expression dampen.

A loud noise got everyone's attention and they ran to see what it was.

"There's a man attacked by a platypus bear!" Aang shouts.

Everyone rushes to see an older man calmly dodged attacks as the platypus bear attempts to rip its head off.

"Hello there." The man said, almost oblivious to the large animal trying to kill him.

"Make noise, run off!" Aang shouted.

"No, play dead! It'll loose interest!" Sokka interjected.

After hearing bullshit advice, Lin sighed in annoyance and jumped with earthbending on the back on the platypus bear. Brandishing her arm blades, she continuously stabbed the thick hide of the animal.

The platypus bear attemps to grab Lin, but having a sharp blade shoved in its paw changed its mind. The bear shrugs Lin off and runs away.

"Lin, you almost got killed!" Aang said, helping Lin get up.

"I didn't see anyone else try to help him. You just spouted off bullshit. And what the hell were you thinking? Why would you try and face down a platypus bear?" Lin asked to the traveler.

"Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey." The man said.

"Aunt who?" Aang asked.

"No. Aunt Wu. She's a fortuneteller from my village." The man said.

"Another load of shit." Lin muttered.

"That explains why you were so calm." Katara said.

"But the fortuneteller was wrong! You were almost killed!" Sokka pointed out.

"But I wasn't. Aunt Wu said if I meet any travelers, I should give them this." He said, handing Aang a package.

"Maybe we should go and see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun." Katara said.

"Really? It's a bunch of shit, made up by some con artists to sucker people like you out of their money." Lin said.

"What do you know, an umbrella." Aang said, shredding the package open.

"That proves it." Katara said, as she and Lin went under the umbrella as the rain started to fall, drenching Sokka.

"No it doesn't. You can't predict the future." Sokka said.

"I guess you're not getting wet then." Katara said.

"Of course it was going to rain. The clouds were gray this whole time." Sokka said.

"Just admit you're wrong, and you can come under the umbrella." Katara said.

"Look, I'm going to predict the future now. 'It's going to keep drizzling.'" Sokka said, standing in defiance. The rains then stopped.

"Not everyone has that gift, Sokka." Aang said, as he put the umbrella away.

Entering the village, they walked inside the fortuneteller's building, where they are greeted by a herald.

"Aunt Wu is expecting you." The herald said.

"Really?" Katara asked.

"Don't be so enamored with it. People come here all the time, she expects customers on a daily basis." Lin said, leaning against the wall, as everyone else sat down.

Lin watched as Meng was head over heels for Aang. Poor girl. Aang had eyes for Katara.

 _Yeah, and I have eyes for Aang. Now that's fucked up._

"Welcome, young travelers. Now who's next?" Aunt Wu asked.

Aang, Sokka, and Lin appeared uninterested.

"I guess that's me." Katara says.

"These are good puffs. Want some?" Sokka asked.

"Not interested." Aang said; Lin promptly took the puff and ate it.

"So, what are they talking about?" Aang asked.

"Don't know, don't care. We should keep moving up north." Lin said.

"Probably some boring girl stuff. Who she'll marry, how many kids they'll have." Sokka said.

Aang grew antsy and quickly left.

"Why does he need to go to the bathroom?" Sokka asked.

Lin held her hand up and formed it as if it was holding a cup then shook it side by side.

"Oh, gross. I don't think he'll do that. I don't think he knows what that means." Sokka said.

"You'd be surprised." Lin said.

Aang came back, clearly happy.

"Looks like someone had a good bathroom break." Sokka said.

"Yeh, while I was in their…" Aang started.

"We don't want to know." Sokka said.

Aunt Wu came back for another person.

"Who's next?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Might as well get it over with." Sokka said.

"You're future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted." Aunt Wu said.

"You didn't read my palms!" Sokka said.

"I don't need to read it. It's written all over your face." Aunt Wu said.

Sokka only glared at Aunt Wu, clearly unhappy about the prediction.

"Told ya'll it was a load of shit." Lin said.

Aang and aunt Wu went to make his predictions, and Lin stayed where she was.

"Can't wait to get over with this." Lin muttered.

Aang did come out, with an ambivalent expression on his face.

"Do you want to see your future?" Aunt Wu asked Lin.

"No. I'm not interested." Lin said, and walked out.

"Well, now you got to see for yourselves that fortunetelling is just a big, stupid hoax." Sokka said.

"You're just saying that because you're going to make yourself unhappy your whole life." Katara said.

"I still think she's full of crap." Lin said.

"How can you say that? She gave me a great fortune." Katara said.

"Predicting the future does not mean it'll happen as you say it will. For all you know, you could be completely misinterpreting it." Lin said.

"I think if you went and got your fortune told, you'd have a different opinion." Katara said.

"That doesn't mean that life will bend to conform around it. Quite the contrary." Lin said.

They noticed that everyone was looking up. Looking at the clouds to be precise.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked.

"We're waiting for Aunt Wu to come and read the clouds to predict the fate of the town." A person said, the same person that the gang rescued.

"How often do these predictions come true?" Lin asked.

"Many times." The man said.

"Many. That implies that sometimes, it doesn't happen as it should." Lin said.

Aunt Wu came onto the scene, and everyone shut up, as if they were in the presence of a god.

"Bending arrow cloud. Good crops this year, nice big harvest." Aunt Wu said.

Wu continued with her predictions, and came to the final one.

"The town will not be destroyed by the volcano this year." She said, and everyone cheered in excitement.

"What a load of shit." Lin muttered, and walked away.

Sokka ran after Lin, hoping to recruit her to his cause.

"Sokka, I've been around longer than you have. One thing I know, is that people never change. If these mindless drones want to risk their lives on some shit, fine by me." Lin said.

"Then where are you going?" Sokka asked.

"The volcano. I want to see for myself." Lin said, and realized something.

"I need to get Aang." Lin said.

"What for?" Sokka asked.

"If I somehow get knocked out, Aang will have to carry me out. No offense, but you're not strong enough to carry me and the armor." Lin said.

"Okay then." Sokka said.

Lin approached Aang, and yanked him away from the village.

"Lin, what are you doing?" Aang asked.

"I'm going to the volcano." Lin said.

"Funny. I'm heading their as well." Aang said.

"What for?" Lin asked.

"Well, I was told to get a panda lily from the volcano." Aang said.

"My god. You've been bullshitted as well." Lin said.

Lin and Aang approached the edge of the volcano, where Aang grabbed one of the flowers.

"Oh fuck." Lin muttered, seeing the lava brimming near the top.

"These people think they're safe. We got to hurry." Aang said, opening his glider.

"You're not strong enough to carry me. My armor weights too much." Lin said.

"Than what do you suggest?" Aang asked, closing his glider.

Lin grabbed Aang, threw him over her shoulder and ran down the slope of the volcano, her earthbending enhancing her speed.

Running into the town, they found Katara and warned her of the news.

"Katara, the town is about to be destroyed. We were at the volcano, and it's filled to the brim with lava." Lin said.

"Lin, I know you don't believe this stuff. It's going to take a lot to change my mind." Katara said.

"Lin's right. I was there." Aang said.

"What were you doing at the volcano?" Katara asked, when the ground began to shake as the volcano was about to blow. An explosion occurred at the volcano, alarming the villagers.

"Can your fortunetelling explain that?" Sokka asked.

"Can your science explain why it rains?" a man mockingly asked.

"Yes! Yes it can!" Sokka retorted.

"They just won't listen." Aang said.

"I have an idea." Lin said.

"What is it?" Katara asked.

"I'm going to kill Aunt Wu." Lin said, with a crazed smile on her face, and walked to Aunt Wu's home, brandishing her arm blades in the process.

"No. That's not going to happen. We'll have to find another way." Katara said.

"You have any bright ideas?" Lin sarcastically asked.

"Everyone looks to Aunt Wu. That's the solution. I need to borrow Aunt Wu's cloud reading book." Aang said.

Lin waited and watched as Aang and Katara enacted their plans, up to changing the clouds to predict an ominous future.

"Aunt Wu, look at that!" Sokka said, pointing to the now forming volcanic doom cloud.

"Oh my…" Aunt Wu muttered, looking in shock at the now ominous cloud.

In the town square, everyone gathered as Aang spoke.

"We can still save the village if we act fast. Sokka has a plan!" Aang said.

"Lava is going to flow to this spot. If we dig a trench deep enough, we can channel the lava towards the river." Sokka said.

"Earthbenders, follow me." Lin said, and began working hard to create the trench. Time wasn't against them, so they couldn't make the trench extremely deep or wide. They could only hope their efforts would pay off.

The lava began to come down, and Lin attempted to impede its progress with her earthbending, but it wasn't enough.

 _Goddamn it! Where's Bolin when you need a lavabender?!_

Everyone ran and backed away as the lava began to overflow the makeshift trench, threatening the village.

"Aang, run!" Lin shouts, as the avatar stand still against the incoming lava.

"What the hell is he doing?" Sokka asked.

Lin watches Aang jump into the air and begins to airbend. He blows the lava straight upward, then exhales a large breath of air, cooling the lava and turning it into addition land mass to block the flow of lava.

"I can't believe it's working." Lin said, as she sees the lava follow the new route into the river.

"Man, I sometimes forget how powerful a bender Aang really is." Sokka said.

Katara's eyes widen in realization of what Aunt Wu told her.

"I guess so." Katara said.

With the disaster passed, life returned to normal in the village. In the square, Aang gives the book back to Aunt Wu.

"So you messed with the clouds, didn't you!" Aunt Wu angrily says, taking the book from him.

Aunt Wu than laughs in response to Aang's guilty look.

"Very clover." She says.

"Can I ask you something?" Aang asks.

"Sure thing."

"You didn't see love in my fortune, did you? You just told me what I wanted to hear." Aang said.

"I'll tell you a little secret, avatar. Just as you reshaped those clouds, you have the power to shape your own destiny." Aunt Wu says.

Leaving the village, Aang spoke to Lin.

"Lin, why didn't you get your fortune told?" Aang asked.

"Here's what I believe. You make your own fortune in this world. For better or for worse. No-one else can give it to you." Lin said.


	14. Ch 14 Bato of the southern water tribe

Ch 14 bato of the southern water tribe

"Hey look. A sword made out of a whale's tooth." Aang said, picking it out of the sand.

"It's a water-tribe weapon." Lin noted.

"See if you can find anything else." Sokka said.

"Did someone loose something?" Katara asked.

"No. We found something." Aang said, searching thru a bush.

"Sokka, found some footprints." Lin said, pointing to a set.

"There was a battle. Water tribe warriors ambushed a group of firebenders." Sokka said, and walked down the footprints, detailing the fight.

"The firebenders fought, but the warriors pushed them down the hill." Sokka said.

Running down the hill, they came face to face with the beach and an open sea.

"What happened next?" Katara asked.

"I don't know. The trail ends here." Sokka said.

"Chances are, the firebenders escaped. If not, the bodies were tossed into the ocean when the fight was over." Lin said.

Katara saw something, and pointed to it. It was a water tribe boat.

"It's one of our boats!" Sokka said, running towards it.

"Is it dad's?" Katara asked.

"No. But it's in his fleet. Dad was here." Sokka said.

Deciding to camp for the night, everyone slept while Sokka absently looked into the fire. Memories flashed thru his mind, of his father leaving to fight in the war.

The noise of cracking tinder is heard, and Sokka quickly stands up, weapon in hand.

"Who's there?" Sokka asks.

A bandaged man appears into view, wearing water tribe clothing.

"Sokka?" the man asks, recognizing him.

"Bato?" Sokka asks, waking everyone else up.

"Who the what now?" Aang asks, rubbing his eyes.

"Bato!" Katara exclaims, relieved at seeing an old friend again.

"Sokka! Katara! It's been years since I saw you two! You've grown so much." Bato says, hugging the two kids.

"Where's dad?" Sokka asks.

"Is he here?" Katara asked as well.

"No, he and the other warriors should be in the eastern earth-kingdom right now." Bato said.

The wind picked up, and everyone followed Bato, who motioned for Lin and Aang to follow.

Bato leads them to a monastery complex, explaining what happened to him.

"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey. The sisters have cared for me ever since. Superior, these are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat." Bato said.

"Young avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey." Superior said.

"Thanks. If there's anything-" Aang started, before he was cut off by Sokka.

"What smells so good, Bato?" Sokka asked, sniffing the air.

"The sisters craft ointments and perfumes." Bato said.

Bato lead everyone to his temporary home, and it was filled with trinkets and parts from the southern tribe.

"It looks just like home." Katara said.

"Yeah. Nothing's more comfortable then dead animal skins." Aang said.

"Part of their culture, Aang. As the avatar, you should be open minded to such things." Lin said.

Katara took the lid off a stewing pot and looked inside.

"No way! Stewed sea prunes?" Katara asked.

"Help yourselves." Bato said.

Lin immediately put a hand to her mouth and tried not to gag.

"Lin, something wrong?" Aang asked, as the two sat down.

"I've had sea prunes before. Needless to say, I didn't like it. Never grew a taste to water tribe food. Prefer earth kingdom and fire nation food. If I were you, I wouldn't try it." Lin said.

Sokka, Katara, and Bato wasted no time in talking about the past, when times were simpler. Lin envied them, because she didn't have such good memories when she was their age. She didn't know her father, mom was always working, and Su was hanging with the terra triad. Oh, and Tenzin left her for Pema. It was much later when she reconciled with her friends and family.

Lin only wished she'd reconcile with them much sooner. She noticed Aang leaving, and walked after him. She followed his footprints to Bato's ship and talked to him.

"Aang, you okay?" Lin asked.

"They're going to leave me." Aang despondently said.

"Katara and Sokka? I doubt it." Lin said.

"You don't know that." Aang said.

"Katara needs to know waterbending, and Sokka won't leave his sister in harms way. Besides, they look after you. You shouldn't worry about it." Lin said.

"That's still a wide guess." Aang said.

"It's better than nothing. Please, don't become bitter because of it. When I was younger, a little older than Katara and Sokka, I was so bitter and angry at the world. My boyfriend left me for someone else, problems plagued my family, and it was a shit storm. I didn't reconcile with my friends and family until a few years ago. I spent a good portion of my life filled with rage. Take it from my experience. It's not good. And even if they do leave, I'll stay with you." Lin said.

That bit of news calmed Aang down, a bit.

"Come on. Lets get back inside." Lin said.

An earthkingdom soldier appeared on a lizard like creature, holding a message.

"Is Bato here?" he asked.

"I know a Bato." Aang said.

"Give him this." The soldier said, handing Aang a piece of paper.

Aang opened the paper, and saw it was a map to Sokka and Katara's father.

"It's the map to their dad." Aang said.

Aang took the map, crumpled it, and put it inside his shirt.

"Aang, when they find out-" Lin started.

"They won't find out." Aang said, walking away.

Heading back inside, Aang put on a façade of being completely calm. His behavior was strange, and he ate some of the sea prunes, quickly spitting them back.

"Told you not to eat them." Lin said, as she climbed into a sleeping bag and fell asleep.

The next day, everyone approached Bato's boat.

"This boat has sentiments. It was built by my father." He said.

"Is this the boat he took you ice-dodging in?" Sokka asked.

"Sure is. It's got the scars to prove it." Bato said.

"What's ice-dodging?" Aang asked.

"Rite of passage for young water tribe members. When you're 14, your Dad takes you... you know what, you're about to find out." Bato said, volunteering to give the lesson, in lieu of Hakoda's place.

Everyone got inside, and headed into the open sea.

"How are we going to ice dodge without ice?" Sokka asked.

"Next best thing. Those." Bato said, pointing to a thicket of stalagmite like rocks. If they botched up the run, there was a good chance they'd be dead.

"Sokka, you steer and call the shots. Lead wisely. Katara, you secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave. Aang, you control the jib, without your steady hand we all go down. Your position is about trust." Bato said.  
"I know that! Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar! I know about trust." Aang said.

 _What a terrible liar._ Lin thought.

"For this to be done right, I cannot help. You pass or fail on your own." Bato said, sitting at the bow; Lin sat at the stern.

It was going good, with Sokka calling the proper orders. Lin stood up and looked as they came very close to crashing into several of the jagged rocks. As much as she wanted to help with her earthbending, she couldn't. This was something Sokka and Katara had to figure out on their own.

The ship approached a cul de sac, ringed by jagged rocks.

"Oh crap." Lin muttered, as she calculated how much it would take to clear the rocks away.

"Sokka, you proved yourself." Bato said.

"We can make it. Aang, I'm going to need air in that sail! Katara, bend as much water as you can between us and those rocks. Now!" Sokka shouted.

Aang pushes wave after wave of air into the sail, while Katara raises the ship on an accelerating wave of water. Lin looks down and sees them clearing the jagged rocks to safety.

"I'll admit, Sokka. You really proved yourself." Lin said.

"Thanks, Lin." Sokka said.

On the beach, Aang, Katara, and Sokka stand in front of Bato, who holds a cup filled with black face paint.

"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks. For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned." Bato said, putting a mark on Sokka's forehead.

"For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us. And for Aang, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the water tribe." Bato said, marking both Katara and Aang.

Aang steps back, knowing what needed to be done.

"I can't." Aang said.

"Of course you can." Katara said.

Aang rubbed the paint off his forehead.

"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara asked.

Aang reached inside his shirt and pulled out the crumpled map.

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato. You have to understand. I was afraid that you'd-" Aang said, when Sokka cut him off.

"This is the map to our father! You had it the whole time?! You know what, you can go to the north pole alone." Sokka said, and turned around.

"Sokka, I think you should-" Bato started.

"Katara, you coming with me or not?" Sokka asked.

Katara looked at Aang and Lin, then made her descision.

"I'm with you, Sokka." She said.

Aang watched as Katara and Sokka got their supplies and headed on the road to leave.

"I'm such an idiot, Appa." He muttered, before the bison walked in the opposite direction.

"Told you it was a bad idea." Lin said.

"I know." Aang said.

The two sat at the beach when Superior came with bad news.

"Avatar! You must leave!" Superior said.

"I know. Everyone wants me to leave." Aang curtly cut in.

"A group of people came in the abbey, looking for you." Superior said.

"Let me guess. One of them had a scar on his face." Lin said.

"That's right. How'd you know?" Superior asked.

"Long story. Come on, Aang. If we don't stop them, they'll follow us to the north pole." Lin said.

Aang flew on his glider, while Lin attacked from the ground. The shirshu was in the courtyard going in circles, like a dog chasing its tail. It suddenly looked upward and saw Aang heading towards the beast on his glider. The shirshu stood on its hind legs to attack Aang, but the weight of its riders caused the beast to collapse and dump its passengers.

June remounts her beast and charges after Aang. Just when they're about to strike, Lin attacks with a powerful earth blast and sends the shirshu and Jun into the wall of a building.

"You take Zuko, I'll handle the shirshu." Lin said.

"Good luck!" Aang shouts, as he and Zuko duel. The shirshu gets up, and June attacks Lin. The shirshu's deadly tongue shoot out to paralyze Lin, but fail to penetrate her armor.

 _Have to end this, and now._

Lin dodged another blow and fired one of her cables at the shirshu, hoping to buy herself some time. The cable wraps around the beasts mouth, closing it shut.

"Got you, you bastard." Lin muttered, then quickly realized the flaw in her plan.

The shirshu was capable of great strength. Lin physically weak compared to the shirshu, nor did she have the endurance of the animal.

"Oh son of a bitch." Lin muttered, as the shirshu quickly snapped its mouth, and tossed Lin into another wall.

Lin stood up, her vision blurry. Her vision snapped straight when she saw the shirshu run to attack her, when it's violently blown away, curtesy of Appa.

"Thanks, Appa. I owe you one." Lin said.

Meanwhile, Zuko and Aang continued their fierce duel, as Aang jumps into a well. Zuko fires after Aang, but is knocked back by a large jet of water, appearing from the well. The shirshu stood back up, and quickly immobilized Appa.

"Just great." Lin muttered, as she once again faced the shirshu.

The shirshu shot its tongue out, and once again failed to hit Lin, as she blocked the tongue with her earth-bending. Meanwhile, Superior puts a perfume under Sokka and Katara's noses, fully waking them up.

"That thing sees with its nose. Lets give it something to look at." Sokka said.

"The perfume?" Superior asks.

Sokka, Katara, and some of the sisters move huge pots of perfume into the courtyard. Dumping the perfume on the ground, Katara waterbends it over the shirshu and drops it. The shirshu is overwhelmed by the multiple smells.

Going on a rampage, it lashes out and stings Zuko and June. The beast breaks open more jugs of perfume, and leaps over the wall.

"Lets get the hell out of here!" Lin shouts, as Appa fully awakes, his immune system having fought off the shirshu's toxin.

In the air, everyone takes a breather from the carnage.

"So where do we go now?" Aang asked.

"The north pole." Lin said.

"Yeah. We've lost much time as it is." Sokka said.

"Don't you want to see your father?" Aang asked.

"Of course we do, Aang. But you're our family too, and right now, you need us more." Sokka said.

"And we need you." Katara added.

"I wish I could give you a piece of home, Katara." Aang said.

"I'll be okay." Katara said.

"Still, a little trinket. Maybe something like… this!" Aang said, holding out Katara's necklace.

"Aang, how did you get that?" Katara asked, putting the necklace on.

"Zuko asked to be sure I got it to you." Aang joked.

"That's so sweet of Zuko. Would you give him a kiss for me when you see him?" Katara mockingly asked.

"Sure." Aang replied.

Katara leaned forward and kissed Aang on the cheek. Aang blushed and twiddled his thumbs. This prompted a reaction from Sokka.

"Ew, Oogies!" Sokka said.

"Oogies?" Aang asked, confused.

"He means this." Lin said, and ran her tongue across Aang's neck.


	15. Chapter 15 the deserter

Ch 15 the deserter

"This should give us an idea of what's around here." Katara said, as they approached a circular notice board.

"See if they have something to eat. I'm starving." Sokka said.

"You're always starving." Lin said.

"I'm a growing boy." Sokka defended.

"I bet we'll find something to eat here! The Fire Days Festival. Fire Nation cultural exhibits...jugglers, benders, magicians. This'd be a great place for me to study some real firebenders!" Aang said.

"You might want to reconsider that. Look at this." Sokka said, pointing to a poster on the other side of the board.

"A poster of me." Aang said.

"That's a wanted poster. Really bad for us." Lin said.

"We better keep moving." Katara said, as Aang tore the poster down.

"I have to learn firebending at some point. I'm working on the basics of earth and water. This could be my only chance. To watch a master up close." Aang said.

"Okay. Lets say we go inside and avoid capture. You know how much firebending you'll remember within a week? None. Seeing a master bend their element, and practicing it, are two totally different things." Lin said.

"I guess we could check it out." Katara said, a bit unsure.

"What? You want to walk into a Fire Nation town where they're all fired up with all their, you know, fire?" Sokka asked.  
"We'll wear disguises and if it looks like trouble, we'll leave." Katara said.

"Right. Because we always leave before trouble finds us." Sokka sarcastically said.

"I agree. We should get food and supplies only, and leave as soon as possible." Lin said.

But Aang was set, and headed inside the festival, with his friends trailing him.

Inside, they saw some kids running around and some people in a dragon outfit. Many were wearing masks.

"I think we need knew disguises." Katara said.

"Masks are being sold right behind us." Lin said, hitching her thumb behind her.

"How'd you know?" Sokka asked.

"Siesmic sense." Aang and Lin said at the same time. Both looked at each other.

"You're learning well." Lin whispered to Aang.

"Got a good teacher." Aang whispered back.

"If the two of you are done with your pillow talk, we don't want to attract to much attention." Sokka said.

Quickly getting the disguises, Lin had to contain her laughter when Katara swapped Sokka and Aang's masks to match their facial expressions.

"Hey, there's food." Aang said, pointing to a merchant.

"Finally." Sokka said, and approached the seller. "What do you have?"

"Flaming fire flakes. The best in town." He said.

Sokka took a steaming bag that was handed to him and started to eat them. Then he quickly spat them out, removing his mask to cool his tongue.

"Flaming fire flakes. What do you think?" Katara asked.

"Aang, you want to see a firebender in action, look over there." Lin said, pointing to a stage with a large crowd.

"A big crowd, so it must be good." Aang said.

"Knowing the fire nation, it's probably an execution." Sokka said.

Approaching the stage, they see a firebender perform an elaborate show with his firebending. He concludes by extinguishing the fire and producing a small flock of white birds that fly off stage.

"I've got to learn that trick." Aang said.

"Thank you! For my next trick, I'm going to need a volunteer from the crowd." The performer said.

"Me! Pick me!" Aang said, waving his hand up, when Lin had to restrain him.  
"The fuck are you thinking?" Lin growled.

"I want to get a closer look." Aang said.

"We shouldn't attract attention." Katara warned.

"How about you, little lady?" the performer asked, pointing to Katara.

Katara shook her head, not wanting to join, but the crowd pressured her.

Katara was tied to a chair, and the performer produced a flaming dragon.

"No." Sokka muttered, fearing for his sister's life.

"Don't worry. I got a plan." Lin said.

"Really? What's that?" Sokka asked.

"We free Katara, and fight our way out." Lin said, as she relied on her seismic sense to give her an accurate layout of the town and the soldiers that were stationed there.

The performer released the dragon and let it fly towards Katara. Aang quickly air jumps on the stage and dissipates the flames with his airbending, while Sokka unties Katara.

"Hey kid? You trying to upstage me?" the performer asked.

"That's the avatar." Someone yelled, and the soldiers came.

"I think it's time to go." Sokka said.

"Follow me." Chey said, leading them from behind the stage.

Aang blows into the bison whistle as they follow Chey in a maze like pattern, eventually getting into a dead-end.

"Appa! Down here!" Aang shouts, as the bison flies towards them.

Appa lands between the gang and the guards, and using slams his tail on the ground to airbend the guards away. Everyone runs into the saddle and as they fly away, Chey throws a grenade into the fireworks supply and watches it blow. The fireworks erupt and catch everyone's attention.

"Nice touch setting off the fireworks." Aang said.

"You seem to know your explosives well." Sokka added.

"I'm familiar with them." Chey said.

"You're a fire nation soldier!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Was. My name's Chey."

Sitting around a campfire, Chey tells them about the first deserter from the fire nation.

"I serve a man. More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral?" Chey muttered.

"He was high up. We get it." Sokka said.

"Yeh! Way up there! But he couldn't take the madness any more. He's the first person ever to leave the army - and live. I'm the second, but you don't get to be a legend for that. That's okay though. Jeong Jeong's a firebending genius. Some say he's mad - but he's not! He's enlightened." Chey said.

"You mean there's a firebender out here who's not with the fire lord? We got to see him! He can train me!" Aang said, standing up.

"Hold on for a minute! Aang, sit down and listen." Lin said, sitting across from him.

"Even if Jeon Jeong agrees to teach you, there's a reason the avatar learns the elements in the proper order. Years ago, I've read all about it. The last element the avatar learns is the most difficult, if not the most dangerous. You need to have a better grasp of water and earth before you can get a hold of fire." Lin said, recalling from her memory, when Aang, Katara, and Sokka told her about when Aang attempted to learn firebending much earlier than he should have.

A group of 5 men appeared out of nowhere, wearing straw hats and armor and held spears.

"Don't move." Lin Yi said.

The 5 armed men escorted Aang's group to Jeong Jeong's place.

"Jeong Jeong told you not to look for avatar." Lin Yi said.

"You knows these guys?" Sokka asked.

"Oh yeah. Lin Yi's an old buddy. Right Lin Yi?" Chey asked.

"Shut up! Keep moving." Lin Yi said, pointing his spear to Chey.

As night fell, the approached Jeong Jeong's hut.

"You go." Lin Yi said, pushing Chey forward.

"Is that where he is?" Aang asked.

"No! You wait there." Lin Yi said, holding his spear in front of Aang.

Being taken to another hut, they waited for Chey to come back.

"Lin, you said it's important that I follow the order. What does happen if I were to learn firebending right now?" Aang asked.

"Christ. I can't believe you're considering it. Water is life sustaining, constantly moving or sitting still. Earth is firm and stable. Omashu is made of earth. Don't need any more evidence than that. Fire, is something else. Why does everyone hate the fire nation?" Lin asked, trying to get Aang to think.

"Because they use their fire to destroy everything in sight." Sokka said.

"Exactly. One small flame can destroy an entire forest, given the right circumstances. No offense, Aang, but you don't have the discipline. That's why I won't teach you more than the basics until you learn more about water bending." Lin said.

"Okay. What about you?" Aang retorted.

"What about me?" Lin asked, confused.

"How long was the time between learning earth and metal-bending?" Aang asked.

"It was 6 years before I learned metalbending for my job. And it is dangerous. I've seen cadets die from performing metalbending because they lacked the discipline to control it." Lin said, not telling Aang about bloodbending, lavabending, or when Zaheer killed the queen by taking the air out of her lungs.

"Can you explain more about what you're talking about?" Katara asked, but Chey walked in.

"He won't see you. He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately." Chey said.

"Finally. Lets hit the road." Sokka said.

"Why won't he see me?" Aang asked.

"He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered earth and water yet." Chey said.

"How could he tell?" Aang asks.

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell." Chey said.

"I'm going in anyway!" Aang said, walking out of the hut to Jeong Jeong's hut.

"Damn it." Lin muttered, and grabbed some water to drink.

The next morning, Lin walked out to practice her earth-bending and saw Katara practicing her water-bending, Sokka trying to catch some fish, and Aang being taught. Aang was standing on a small flat stone in the water.

"Widen your stance." Jeong Jeong said, and Aang spread his legs.

"Wider!" Jeong Jeong commanded, and Aang spread them to the far edges of the stone.

"Bend your knees. Now concentrate." Jeong Jeong continued, then started to walk away.

"Wait. What do I do now?" Aang asked.

"Silence! Talking is not concentrating! Look at your friend. Is she talking? The earth bender is calm while she studies. Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he's doing." Jeong Jeong said.

"Hey!" Sokka said.

"But what am I concentrating on?" Aang asked.

"The sun is the greatest source of fire. Yet it is in complete balance with nature." Jeong Jeong said.

"So when do I get to make some fire?" Aang asked.

"Concentrate!" Jeong Jeong said.

"See, Aang? That's why I won't teach you more than the basics. And you want to learn fire." Lin said.

An hour passed and Jeong Jeong took Aang to a high mountain. Jeong Jeong returned without Aang, and motioned for Lin to follow him.

"You're not from here, are you?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"How'd you know?" Lin asked.

"I can tell. The way you walk, the way you observe things. And that armor of yours is much different then what I've seen. So tell me. Where do you come from?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"It's a long story, and I'm not telling." Lin said.

Jeong Jeong lightly smiled.

"Jeong Jeong, I don't think you should be teaching Aang. He's not ready. He's just starting waterbending, let alone earth." Lin said.

"There's something I've learned. You can't persuade a fool from his own path of destruction. You just watch them destroy everything in sight, and pray they learn their lesson, but more often than not, they never learn. This boy is playing with fire, and it will consume him." Jeong Jeong said.

Lin sat in deep contemplation.

"Yeah. It seems that he's the only one in the group who won't see common sense." Lin said.

Hours later, Aang came back and he was pissed.

"What are you doing here? I told you not to stop!" Jeong Jeong said.

"I've been breathing for hours." Aang said.

"You want to stop breathing?" Jeong Jeong sarcastically asked.

"I want you to stop wasting my time! I already know how to squat and breathe and feel the sun. I want to know how to shoot fire out of my fingertips!" Aang said.

Jeong Jeong was incensed.

"I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline. He was only concerned with the power of fire - how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out the obstacles in his path., but fire is a horrible burden to bear. Its nature is to consume and without control it destroys everything around it. Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love." Jeong Jeong said.

Lin's words haunted Aang.

 _I've seen cadets die from performing metalbending because they lacked the discipline to control it._

Aang left the hut and sat on the stone in front of the hut. His face and posture shows seriousness. Lin hoped Aang would finally learn. Jeong Jeong came out and saw Aang.

"I thought about what you said. Lin warned me as well. I promise I'll be more patient." Aang said.

"We're going to work with fire." Jeong Jeong said.

"Hell yeah!" Aang said, and Lin raised an eyebrow. So much for his promise.

Jeong Jeong grabbed a falling leaf and burnt a small hole inside the center. He handed the leaf to Aang with instructions.

"Concentrate on the leaf." Jeong Jeong said.

A rebel quickly appears and calls for Jeong Jeong.

"What's happening?" Aang asked.

"Concentrate!" Jeong Jeong said.

"This is the worst firebending instruction ever. All he does is leave me alone for hours to concentrate or breathe." Aang said.

"I'm sure there's a good reason." Katara said.

"But I'm ready to do so much more." Aang said.

Aang squatted and did his breathing exercises, concentrating on the leaf. The leaf then burst into fire, and the flame floated in Aang's hand.

"I did it! I made fire." Aang said.

"Aang, that's great, but you should take it slow." Katara said.

"Katara, back away from the shore." Lin said, as she erected a wall of earth between Aang and the shore.

Aang played with the fire, even juggling with it.

"Aang, you're going to burn yourself. Take it easy." Lin said, walking out in front of the earthen protection to stop Aang if he tried anything stupid.

Aang loops the ball of fire around him and it begins to completely circle around him. He pushes it outward right into Lin's path.

Lin throws her cables at Aang to stop him. But it was too late. The flames torched Lin's hands. Lin screamed in pain as she dropped to the ground, clutching her hands.

"Lin, you okay?!" Katara asked, running towards the earthbender.

"Fuck!" Lin shouted, as she tried to numb the pain.

"What did you do?!" Sokka yelled angrily at Aang.

"It was an accident…" Aang started, when Sokka tackled Aang.

"You burned Lin, your closest friend! That could have been Katara, or me!" Sokka yelled.

Katara pulled Lin away deeper down the river.

"This is your fault!" Sokka yelled at Jeong Jeong.

"I know. Now pack your things. You must leave immediately." Jeong Jeong said, before leaving Aang and Sokka.

Lin put her burnt hands in the water to cool them. The water turned blood red, and the burns stung at the contact with the water.

"Let me try something." Katara said, wrapping her hands around Lins. Both hands glowed and Lin sighed in relief.

"You have healing abilities. The great benders of the water tribe sometimes have this ability. And great benders of the earth kingdom have strength and durability to do amazing things. I've always wished I were blessed like you two - free from this burning curse." Jeong Jeong said, sitting down next to Lin and Katara.

"But you're a great master. You'll have powers I'll never know." Katara said.

"Water brings healing and life. Earth brings stability and longevity. But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart." Jeong Jeong lamented.

The water is suddenly blasted by jets of flame. Jeong Jeong stands and raises a barrier of fire, hovering over the water, yet not boiling it.

"Wow. That's amazing." Lin said.

"Get your friends out of here, now!" Jeong Jeong yells.

Complying, they ran back to camp where Aang was sitting in Jeong Jeong's hut.

"Lin, you okay?" Sokka asked.

"I'm fine. Where's Aang, we need to leave." Lin said.

"He's in there." Sokka said, pointing to the hut.

Entering the hut, Aang spoke.

"Jeong Jeong tried to tell me that I wasn't ready. I wouldn't listen. I'm never going to firebend again." Aang said.

"You'll have to, sooner or later." Lin said.

"No. I won't." Aang said.

"If it's any consolation, my hands are healed." Lin said.

"How?" Aang asked.

"I'll explain later. But right now, we have to get out here. Zhao and his soldiers are attacking!" Katara said.

"Where?" Aang asked.

"By the river. They captured Jeong Jeong." Lin said.

"I have to help him!" Aang said, running out of the hut.

"What should we do?" Katara asked.

"Keep loading supplies. Aang can handle Zhao." Lin said.

With the supplies loaded, they got on Appa and headed to the river. Large flames were seen dancing on the river, and upon closer look, it was the 3 river boats that were sinking.

"Aang didn't know firebending, so how did he..." Sokka started, when it hit him.

"Man. That kid's smart." Sokka said, realizing that Aang managed to get Zhao to destroy his own ships in the fight.

"Aang, you're burned." Katara said.

"Oh." Aang said, looking at the small burn on his arm.

Katara pulled out some water and put it on the burn. After glowing white for two seconds, she pulled the water away and the burn was gone.

"Wow. That's good water." Aang said.

"When did you learn to do that?" Sokka asked.

"Guess I always knew." Katara said.

"Oh... well then thanks for all the first aid over the years. Like when I fell into the grease briar bramble and that time I had two fish hooks in my thumb!" Sokka said.

"Two fish hooks?" Aang asked.

"He tried to get the first hook out with another one." Katara said.

"Oh, and the time that big snake bit me! Thanks for healing that up. That was great. Really helpful." Sokka said.

As Sokka quit his ranting, Aang pulled Lin aside.

"I'm sorry for burning you." Aang said.

"It's alright." Lin said.

"You were right about learning firebending too early." Aang said.

"I know. And Aang, I hope to God you learn from this. If you want a chance at defeating the fire lord, you need to master the elements, and you need to master discipline first. I'll help, but only if you're willing to take it more seriously." Lin said.

"Will I be ready?" Aang asked.

"You're never ready for anything that'll come in the future. But you go when you're ready enough." Lin said.

"Thanks." Aang said, pulling Lin into a bear hug.


	16. Chapter 16 the northern air temple

Ch 16 the northern air temple

Appa flew high in the sky, as they headed towards the northern air temple.

"Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple! This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo." Aang said.

"You really think we'll find airbenders?" Katara asked.

"Don't hold out any hopes on it." Lin said.

"Do you want me to be like you, or totally honest?" Sokka asked.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Katara asked.

"I'm calling you an optimist. Same thing, basically." Sokka said.

Aang looked ahead and saw a dozen gliders.

"Guys, look at this!" Aang said.

Everyone looked, but Aang already changed his mood.

"They really are airbenders!" Katara exclaimed.

"No. they're not." Aang said.

"What do you mean? Those guys are flying!" Sokka said.

"Gliding, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move. They're not airbending. Those people have no spirit." Aang said.

A glider buzzed Appa, nearly taking their heads off.

"I don't know Aang. That kid seems pretty spirited." Katara said.

A competitive look appeared on Aang's face and he took off in his glider to have an aerial duel with the new pilot.

Appa quickly landed on the ground, and they watched the aerial joust. Teo finished the 'duel' by making a picture of Aang, with a sour expression. The two pilots landed at the temple, and Teo recognized Aang.

"You're the Avatar. I've heard stories about you." Teo said.

"Thanks." Aang said.

"This glider chair is amazing." Sokka said, as he examined it.

"If you think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my Dad designed." Teo said.

Walking inside the main chamber of the temple, they saw how changed it was compared to the southern temple. The northern temple appeared dirtier than the southern one. The room is dominated by a jumble of steam-powered machinery with many wheels, gears and pipes.

"This place in unbelievable." Aang said.

"Yeah, it's great, isn't it?" Teo asked.

"No. just unbelievable." Aang said.

"Aang used to come here 100 years ago. I think he's shocked it's so different." Katara said.

"So better." Sokka said.

Aang approached a mural and saw it was desecrated and nearly destroyed by the machinery stabbed thru it.

"This is supposed to be the history of my people." Aang said.

"There's probably another part of the temple that isn't destroyed." Katara said.

"I wouldn't count on it. They've been here for years on end. The only room that's free is the air temple sanctuary." Lin said.

Entering a satellite building, they saw it was kept untouched with the statues staying pristine.

"Look out!" a voice shouted, and a statue is destroyed by a wrecking ball.

"Don't you know to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bathhouse." The mechanics aid.

"Do you know what you just did? You destroyed something sacred, for a stupid bathhouse!" Aang exclaimed, angry.

"Well people around here are starting to stink." The mechanic said.

"This whole place stinks!" Aang shouted, and struck the ground with his staff, sending a gale of air thru the opening, sending the wrecking ball and its rig off the temple down to the mountain below.

"This is a sacred temple! You can't treat it this way. I've seen it when the monks were here. I know what it's supposed to be like." Aang said.

"The monks, but you're twelve." The mechanic said.

"Dad, he's the avatar. He used to come here 100 years ago." Teo said.

"What are you doing here? Who said you could be here?" Aang asked, advancing on the father.

"Hmmm... doing here... A long time ago, but not a hundred years, my people became refugees after a terrible flood. My infant son, Teo, was badly hurt and lost his mother. I needed somewhere to rebuild and I stumbled across this place. Couldn't believe it! Everywhere pictures of flying people. But empty! Nobody home! Then I came across these fan like contraptions!" Teo said, approaching Aang, who showed no sympathy for their plight.

"Our gliders." Aang curtly said.

"Yes, little light flying machines. They gave me an idea. Build a new life for my son, in the air! Then everyone would be on equal ground, so to speak! We're just in the process of improving upon what's already here and after all, isn't that what nature does?" the mechanic asked, now standing in the gaping hole in the building, looking at the ground below.

"Nature knows when to stop." Aang said, approaching the mechanic.

"I suppose that's true. Unfortunately, progress has a way of getting away from us." The mechanic said, when he noticed the time, and quickly walked away.

"He's in a hurry." Lin muttered.

"Hey, I want to show you something." Teo said to Aang.

Teo led the group to the air temple sanctuary, and stood in front of the two large doors.

"Only an airbender can open it. So it's just like it was when the monks left. I've always wondered what it was like in there." Teo said.

Aang shook his head.

"I'm sorry, this is the last part of temple that the same as it was. I want it to stay that way." Aang said.

"I understand. I just wanted you to know it was here." Teo said.

"Thanks." Aang said.

Lin narrowed her eyes as her seismic sense told her the truth. But she decided to let Aang find out on his own.

Outside the temple on the terrace, Katara, Teo, and Aang were on the edge, gliders next to them.

"Hell of a way to die." Lin said, calculating the height from the air to the ground. Thank god she was not an airbender.

The three than jumped from the cliff and into the air. Lin watched and had a feeling nobody was going to die today. She'd seen a lot of shit in her time as the chief of police. When Teo and Aang came back, Aang spoke.

"I've been thinking. If you wanna see what's in that room, I'd be happy to open the door for you." Aang said.

"Great." Teo said, when they noticed Katara was still flying.

"How do I land this thing? What if I land – eh! Blech! Yech! Bug! Bug! That was a bug!" Katara said.

Back in the temple, Aang opened the door to the air temple sanctuary and watched in horror as he saw killing and torture machines, with a large emblem of the fire nation behind them.

"My god." Katara muttered.

"This is a nightmare."

"You don't understand." The mechanic said, approaching them.

"You're making weapons for the fire nation!" Aang angrily said.

"You make weapons for the fire nation?" Sokka angrily asked.

Lin walked towards the weapons and proceeded to destroy them with her metal bending, except the war balloon.

"Stop! You don't understand!" the mechanic said, when Lin fired a cable and wrapped it around the mechanics throat. Slowly, the cable squeezed the life out of the mechanic. When he lost consciousness, Lin removed the cables.

"Get him out of here." Lin said, as she destroyed the rest of the weapons.

The mechanic recovered inside his office, and worked on a small balloon.

"All the weapons are destroyed. You got to tell them that." Lin said, opening the door and letting Aang and Teo inside.

"They'll destroy everything." The mechanic said.

"They'd kill everyone once they got all the weapons they needed." Lin said.

"And you just signed our death sentences." The mechanic said.

"Killing a few dozen to safe hundreds seems like a small price to pay." Lin replied.

"When are they coming?" Aang asked.

"Soon." The mechanic said, then heard a pop on his clock candle. "Very soon."

A bell is heard, alerting them of the fire nation heading towards them.

"You need to leave! Go!" the mechanic said.

"We're not leaving." Teo said.

"Then hide."

A trapdoor opened, and the fire nation emissary appeared.

"You know better than to keep me waiting. Give me what you owe us so I can be on my way. Well? Is there a problem?" the emissary asks, getting into the mechanic's face.

"No. Right this way." The mechanic said, sweating bullets.

The door is shut by an airblast from Aang, who appears in their view.

"The avatar." The emissary said.

"The deal's off." Aang said.

"Aang, don't get involved in this." The mechanic said.

"He's already involved. And we destroyed all the weapons. You wasted your time." Lin said.

"Then the destruction of this temple will be on your heads." The emissary said, as he left thru the trapdoor.

Outside, on a bridge-way, Sokka and Katara were afraid.

"This is bad! Really bad!" Sokka said.

"Aang, how are we going to stop them?" Katara asked.

"Are you serious? We're sitting on a fucking mountain. You have earth bending master with you. I can collapse the mountain and easily stop the fire nation before they set foot here." Lin said.

"Yeah, but if you collapse the mountain, you'll bring down the temple with it." Sokka said.

"There's another option. We have air power. We control the skies, that's something the fire nation can't do. We can win!" Aang said.

"I want to help." The mechanic said, approaching them.

"Good. We'll need it." Aang said.

The air balloon was working thanks to Sokka's suggestion of using a lid, and the makeshift air-force loaded on the bombs they had. But they didn't have any high explosive bombs.

"Where's Sokka with the war balloon?" Katara asked.

"We'll have to start without him." Aang said, as he opened his glider.

A dozen gliders took into the air, all loaded with various bombs. On Appa, Katara and Lin watched as they attacked the various troop positions and gave them more bombs to fight with.

"Get down!" Lin shouts, and pins Katara to the saddle, as multiple hooks attached to iron chains were fired thru the air, narrowly missing Appa.

"How'd you know?" Katara asked.

"Metal-bending." Lin said, as she watched fire nation tanks climb up the cliff.

"Get me close to them." Lin said, and she stood on the edge of the saddle. When Appa got Lin close enough, she proceeded to rip the hooks away with her metalbending. But it didn't work, because the tanks fired more hooks and continued their climb, unimpeded.

"Shit." Lin said.

The tanks climb the cliff face and gain on the small plateau area at the base of the temple.

"Those things are unstoppable." Katara said.

"I think I know how they work. I remember my Dad tinkering with the counterbalancing system. Something to do with water. Works great, huh?" Teo asked.

"Water? Can you get me close to one?" Katara asked.

"No problem." Teo said.

Lin and Katara jumped into the battlefield and proceeded to fight the fire nation tanks with Aang. Lin runs towards them and rips them apart with her metal-bending before the tanks can fire at her.

"Man. Glad she's on our side." Aang said.

"We got dozens heading towards us!" Lin shouts, as she stands against them, using her earth-bending, tossing large boulders at the tanks, but that only slowed them down.

Aang, Katara, and Lin get on Appa and flee from the oncoming fire nation troops. On the terrace, Teo has bad news.

"We're out of bombs."

"Come on, Sokka. Where's that war balloon?" Katara muttered, and the war balloon appeared on cue.

"Speak of the devil." Lin said, earning a quizzical look from Aang.

Watching, the fire nation war machine dropped its payload of 4 large slime bombs, stopping the infantry dead in their tracks, but the tanks continued on.

"He makes lethal weapons, but he didn't make any explosive bombs?" Lin seethed in anger.

Sokka fixed the solution by dumping their fuel supply down a crevice. A series of large explosions is heard, and black smoke is seen on the battlefield. It soon clears, and the surviving fire nation troops are in full retreat, unable to reach the temple.

"They're retreating!" Aang says.

"We're going down!" Sokka shouts, as the war balloon collapses to the ground with no power.

Aang quickly springs into action and dives after them on his glider.

"Aw shit." Lin says, realizing something.

"What?" Katara asked.

"We should have tried to destroy the balloon." Lin says.

"Why would we?" Katara asked.

"Because the fire nation might find it." Lin says.

"I doubt they'd be able to get it working again." Katara says.

Lin doesn't answer, knowing that the fire nation would be able to create their own air-force.

"You know what? I'm really glad you guys all live here now. It's like the hermit crab, maybe you weren't born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. And now you protect each other." Aang says to Teo.

"That means a lot, coming from you." Teo says.

"Aang, you were right about airpower. As long as we got the skies, we'll have the fire nation on the run." Sokka says.

As everyone cheers, the mechanic is troubled, knowing that the downed balloon would provide the fire nation with a lethal advantage.


	17. Chapter 17 the watertribe master

Ch 17 the watertribe master

Two days. Two fucking days they were flying northward, and they still hadn't found the northern tribe.

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka asked.

"I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?" Aang retorted.

"I'd love to. Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff!" Sokka said.

Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight." Katara said.

"And for what? We can't even find the northern tribe. There's nothing up here." Sokka said.

"The water tribe is here. We'll reach it sooner or later." Lin said.

"What makes you say that?" Aang asked.

"If the fire nation outright destroyed the northern tribe, they'd have their ships in the northern waters, and launch attacks closer to Ba Sing Se. We haven't seen any fire nation forces, so the tribe's here." Lin said, and right after that, ice is seen heading right towards them.

Aang banks hard to the right and avoids it, but another shard hits Appa in the gut, sending him into the water. Out of the icebergs, several ornate ships appear with water tribe soldiers on them.

"They're waterbenders! We found the water tribe!" Katara exclaimed.

"Told ya we'd find it." Lin said.

Inside the city, they're amazed at how advanced the northern tribe is, compared to the southern tribe.

"I can't believe how many waterbenders live here!" Katara said.

"We'll find a master to teach us, no problem." Aang said.

They headed inside the main citadel, where they were treated to a feast. Lots of food, and the chief stood up to speak.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe, and they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now. The Avatar!We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age." Chief Arnook proclaimed.

"Married, at 16 years old?" Lin asked, disgusted at the prospect.

"It's how it's done." Katara said.

"I understand if the people don't live long, but that's still underage." Lin said, wondering why they don't wait two more years. Wasn't that long a wait.

"Thank you, father. May the great ocean and moon spirits watch over us during these difficult times." Princess Yue said.

"Now, master Pakku and his students will perform!" Chief Arnook said, and three waterbenders walked onto the main stage and started performing.

"Man, they're really good." Katara said.

"Like you said, there are plenty of waterbenders in the city. It'll be nice to get some R&R instead of constantly running and fighting." Lin said.

"You said it." Aang said, as he watched the performance.

"Prince of what?" Katara asked, getting Aang and Lin's attention.

Sokka was trying to have a conversation with Yue, and failing.

"Epic fail." Lin muttered.

Aang stood up and headed to meet Pakku and Chief Arnook.

"Master Pakku, meet your newest student, the Avatar." Chief Arnook said.

"Just because you're destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment." Pakku said.

"My friend and I can't wait to start training with you – after we relax for a couple days." Aang said.

"If you want to relax, then I suggest visiting a tropical island. If not, I'll see you both at sunrise. Good night." Pakku said, then walked away.

Looking at Chief Arnook, the chief only shrugged his shoulders.

"He's always like this." He said.

That night, they were talking about the northern tribe.

"I'm so excited about learning about waterbending!" Katara said.

"I know. I can only imagine what we'll learn." Aang said.

"Sokka, how'd it go with Yue?" Lin asked.

"I'm asking her out tomorrow." Sokka said, then fell asleep.

"Get some rest, Aang. We'll need it." Katara said.

The next day, Katara and Aang went to see master Pakku, but ran into a problem.

"In the northern tribe, it is forbidden for woman to learn waterbending." Pakku said.

"I didn't travel the world so you can tell me no." Katara said, clearly angry.

"No." Pakku calmly says.

Meanwhile, Lin buys a fur coat and the shop owner talks to her.

"How's the war going?" he asks.

"Excuse me?" Lin asked.

"You're earth kingdom, I can tell. How's it going?" he asks.

"Not good. Within a few months, the fire nation will have control of the entire continent. If I was the northern tribe, I'd arm everyone between the ages of 16 and 60. Higher chance of survival." Lin says.

The man snorts.

"Maybe, but here, we don't allow woman to learn waterbending, let alone combat." He says.

"I feel sorry for you guys. Half the populations is nothing but dead weight. When they attack, you'll be severely outnumbered, and having to babysit the rest of the people in a fire zone will make it much worse. The fire nation won't show mercy, so you'd be better off sending everyone to the front. You're all going to die anyway." Lin says, and walks out of the shop.

That night, everyone met in the house to discuss the day.

"So how's warrior training?" Katara asked.

Sokka angrily kicks a bag on the floor, flops to the floor and uses it as a pillow.

"That bad, huh?" Aang asked.

"No. It's princess Yue. I don't get it. One minute she wants to go out with me and the next she's telling me to get lost! So how's waterbending training?" Sokka asked.

Katara flops onto her sleeping bag, depressed.

"Master asshole won't teach her because she's a girl." Aang said.

"I've talked with a couple people in the city. They hold the same view. They're already setting themselves up for failure. Half the population won't be able to fight, and when the fire nation attacks, it'll be hell itself. They're all going to die." Lin says.

"They stayed out of the war this long." Katara said.

"Because the fire nation had to spend much of its time conquering the earth kingdom. Now, they can spare forces to attack north. And they will attack fast and hard. They don't want to get bogged down in a war of attrition, so they'll kill every last man woman and child." Lin says.

"Nice to know you're optimistic." Katara sarcastically said.

"So Aang, why don't you just teach Katara?" Sokka asked.

"Why didn't I think of that? At night, you can teach whatever moves you learned from Master Pakku. That way you have someone to practice with and I get to learn waterbending. Everyone's happy!" Katara said.

"Everyone except me." Sokka said.

"You're never happy. Come on, Aang." Katara said, as the two left to start their practice.

It failed, as Pakku caught them.

The next day, they were in the citadel, staring down the higher ups of the city.

"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" Arnook asked.

"Yes. Please." Katara said.

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him." Arnook said.

Lin rolled her eyes. The fire nation was getting ready to attack, if they weren't sending a fleet already. And these assholes were demanding Katara grovel. What a waste of time!

"I'm waiting, little girl." Pakku smugly said.

Katara clenched her fists and snapped.

"No! No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" Katara says.

As she speaks, a crack appears on the floor.

"I'll be outside – if you're man enough to fight me!" Katara said, and walked outside.

Lin observed the reaction of the higher ups. Yue was surprised, and the men stiffened up.

"If you can't handle a teenager talking back to you, what the hell are you going to do when the fire nation parks a fleet of battleships outside the wall?" Lin asks, and walks outside.

"I'm sure they didn't mention that." Aang said.

"I'm sure they did." Sokka said.

Outside, Katara stood out, ready to face Pakku.

"So, you decided to show up? Aren't you gonna fight?" Katara asks, as Pakku walks away.

"Go back to the healing huts with the other woman where you belong." Pakku says.

Katara pulls up a water whip, and smacks Pakku on the back of his head.

"Fine. You want to fight so badly, study closely." Pakku smirked, before he attacked.

The fight was intense. Pakku stood still where he was, deflecting and attacking Katara where she stood. Katara, on the other hand, was constantly moving, trying to get past Pakku's defense, but failed to do so.

"She's doing it wrong." Lin says.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"Constantly attacking via waterbending is doomed to fail. Waterbending is both defense and offense. Katara is barely using any defense. Pakku is. He'll wear her out real quick." Lin says.

Lin's prophecy was proven correctly, as Pakku imprisoned Katara by shards of ice.

"This fight is over." Pakku said.

"Get back here! I'm not finished yet!" Katara shouts.

"Yes you are." Pakku said.

Pakku notices Katara's necklace on the ground and picks it up.

"This is my necklace." He says.

"No it's not, it's mine! Give it back!" Katara says.

"I made this sixty years ago – for the love of my life. For Kana." Pakku said, releasing Katara from the water prison.

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara asked, with a look of shock on her face.

"Talk about life hitting you in the face." Lin mutters.

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her." Pakku says.

"But she didn't love you. It was an arranged marriage. She wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That took a lot of courage." Katara said.

At that moment, Yue bolts and runs away, tears going down her face.

"Go get her." Aang said to Sokka.

"So you'll teach Katara?" Lin asked.

"Yes. I will. Along with the avatar." Pakku said.

"Good." Lin says, and walks away.

The next day, Aang is practicing under Pakku's observation.

"Not bad! Not bad! Heheh! Keep practicing and maybe you'll get it by the time you're my age!" Pakku says.

Katara runs into the training session, catching Pakku's attention.

"What do you think you're doing? It's past sunrise. You're late." Pakku says to Katara, his newest student.

Lin stands on the wall, and looks at the vast ocean spanning in front of her.

"Hell of a sight." Arnook said.

"I know. They'll come with heavy numbers. Box you in. This battle will be vicious and brutal." Lin says.


	18. Ch 18 battle of the northern water tribe

Ch 18 battle of the northern tribe

Lin picked up a patch of soot. Snow mixed with black smoke. She knew the fire nation would attack, and felt a twisted feeling in her gut, as she knew Yue would die.

"Lin, you know what's going on?" Aang asked.

"The fire nation is going to attack. And soon." Lin said.

Everyone ran into the citadel, where chief Arnook gave a speech.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." Arnook said.

"Count me in." Sokka said, standing up.

Other men stood up, and formed a line to receive marks. Leaving the room, Lin headed to the front wall, and looked at the vast city behind her.

"It'll be hell." She muttered.

2 hours passed, and soldiers lined on the wall, ready for war.

"Incoming!" someone shouted, as a fireball slammed into the icy wall, and tore a hole thru. The lone fire nation cruiser continued its attack, firing more fireballs.

"Yip Yip!" Aang shouted, and Appa ascended into the air.

"Get down!" Lin shouted, pushing Sokka to the ground, as a fireball soared overhead and slammed into the city. Screams were heard, as people were set on fire, and began to die from the bombardment.

The attacks ceased as Aang destroyed the cruiser, with help from water tribe ships. The avatar returned, exhausted.

"I can't do it. I can't do it." Aang said.

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"I must have taken out a dozen fire navy ships. But there's too many of them. I can't fight them all." Aang said.

"But you have too! You're the avatar!" Yue pleaded.

"I'm just one kid." Aang said, putting his head in his arms.

Lin looked up and noticed the fire navy ships holding position. Looking back, she saw the bright moon, and knew that the moon gave power to the water-benders. But it wouldn't be enough. Aang, Katara, and Yue headed deeper into the northern tribe, approaching a pool of water, where the moon and ocean spirits were located, in physical form.

 _Why the two spirits decided to take physical form as a fish, let alone leave the spirit world is anyone's guess. Pretty damn stupid if you ask me._ Lin thought.

"I'm heading to the front." Lin said.

"You going to get help?" Yue asked.

"I can protect him." Katara said.

"And your comrades will need all the help they can get." Lin said.

Lin did not see the fight Katara and Zuko had, and was on a street when the fire navy resumed their attacks. Instead of launching fireballs, the warships broke thru the ice wall, and began to unload their troops.

"Oh shit." Lin muttered, as she approached the second line of defense, and saw tanks and soldiers, all wearing the fire insignia of the fire nation.

A fierce battle erupted, as the fire nation tanks moved towards the wall, only to get pushed back by a fierce blasts of water. Another wave of tanks fired steel cables at the fortification and ripped a large portion out.

With the defense breached, the enemy troops moved in by the numbers. Lin was forced to fall back with the defenders, and got caught fighting a firebender. Lin dodged a blast and slashed forward, her knife heading right into the throat.

"I'm a metal bender for pete's sake." Lin muttered, and metalbended the armor of the fire nation troops, and tossed them back to the first line of defense.

"You need to run, now!" a water tribe soldier said, as 5 tanks broke thru. Knowing she couldn't hold them off, Lin ran back with the water tribe soldiers.

But despite them retreating, they made the fire nation troops pay for every inch of ground. Lin killed 10 fire nation soldiers by herself, and destroyed 3 tanks with her metal-bending. But it wasn't enough.

The fire nation poured in troops and weapons to replace the dead. Night came, and the fire nation troops pierced the last barrier of defense. Smoke rose from the burning city. Few buildings were left standing.

 _Republic City wasn't hit this bad when Amon attacked. My god, the stench of the dead is unbearable._

With the moon at their back. The water-benders began to counter attack in some measure, but they would need all night to push the fire nation out.

"Follow me." A waterbender told Lin, and ran out into the battlefield, throwing water at his opponents, drowning fire nation troops. A tank moved to intercept, but Lin destroyed it with her metal-bending.

"Oh crap." The waterbender said, as the water collapsed in his arms. Looking around, the two noticed the sky and moon turn blood red.

"No." the waterbender said, as a spear is thrusted into his back, killing him.

Lin thrusts her knife forward and kills the spearmen, and is forced to retreat.

Rounding a corner, Lin collapses to the ground and frantically drinks some water, needing to quench her thirst.

Lin then feels an overwhelming feeling of dread, as the environment around her turns bleak and dreary. Looking upward, she fails to see the moon. With no time to think, Lin runs and meets with master Pakku and his waterbenders. They are trying to hide from the encroaching fire nation troops.

"Any luck?" Pakku asked.

"None. Unless Aang can do something, we're all dead." Lin said.

"Oh spirits!" one of the waterbender's says, looking at the giant Koi fish spirit.

Pakku, his soldiers, and Lin bow to the floor, in honor of their God. Lin feels water splash on her, and looks to see fire nation troops swept away.

Lin runs forward and sees the giant koi fish lay waste to the fire nation troops. The koi fish walks past the city and sees the vast fire nation fleet, trying to escape.

"I've always heard how Aang destroyed the fire navy fleet, and I get to see it myself." Lin muttered, as she saw the koi fish lay waste to the fleet, creating a large wave that upends most of the fleet. The threat to the northern tribe is gone for good.

The ocean spirit looks up and sees the moon brightly shining again. Sinking into the ocean, it deposits Aang onto the front wall.

"Aang!" Lin shouts, running towards him. As he collapses, Lin holds onto him and cradles him in her arms.

"It's over, right?" Aang asked.

"It's over, Aang. Sleep for now." Lin said.

As Aang fell asleep, Lin carried him in her arms and found an abandoned building. Lin put Aang on a set of blankets, and before lying with him, pulled an animal hide over both of them, keeping both of them warm.

"Aang, Lin!" Katara shouted, as she and Sokka searched for their friends.

"Where are you?" Sokka also shouted.

Lin woke up, and saw Aang's face across from hers.

"Morning, Aang." Lin said, holding Aang.

"We did it. We won." Aang said, putting a hand on Lin's cheek, not believing it.

"Yes. We won." Lin said.

On impulse, Aang pulled Lin close and kissed her.

"What was that?" Lin asked.

Aang just backed away, blushing.

"Oh there you are." Sokka said, walking into the house, and saw Aang and Lin together.

 _Thank god we're fully clothed._ Lin thought.

Walking outside the house, they observed the destroyed city and saw Appa rise upward, awaiting his comrades.

"Next stop, the earth kingdom. And Aang, we'll start your earth-bending. Be ready." Lin said.

"With you as my teacher, it'll be great." Aang said.


	19. Chapter 19 the avatar state

Ch 19 the avatar state

Aang woke in a sweat, and went upstairs. Looking over the rails of the water tribe ship, he contemplated his frightening dream.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Katara asked.

"No. Just a nightmare." Aang said.

Silent for a second, Aang spoke what he really thought.

"I was in the Avatar state, but I was outside my body watching myself. It was scary. _I_ was scary." Aang said.

Hearing another set of footsteps, the two watched as Lin walked to meet them, a white tanktop.

"You're suffering from PTSD. Post-traumatic-stress-disorder. I suffer from it as well." Lin said, a serious look in her eyes.

"You must be very strong to overcome it." Katara said.

"I'd like to speak with Aang alone." Lin said.

Katara headed back downstairs, but was close enough to listen to the conversation.

"You must have seen some awful things as a police officer." Aang said.

 _Police officer? I thought she was a soldier._ Katara thought.

"Aang, I joined the police force when I was 20. Been in the service for 34 years. Chief of police for at least 18. Let me tell you. I have seen lots of shit. Seen my fellow officers get killed, and killed plenty of criminals in return." Lin said.

"So even in the future, there is still war and killing." Aang dejecting said.

"There is, but it's nothing like the current war. After the war, the surviving powers create a new country. The united republics. A beacon of peace, or so it's supposed to be. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job, and the city is much safer with a strong police force." Lin said.

"I feel like you're keeping something away from me." Aang said.

"Aang, I'm keeping a lot away from you. Everything I know, you'll know within a few decades. I can't tell you everything that will happen in the future. My memory isn't that good." Lin said.

"I understand. How did you get over your PTSD?" Aang asked.

"Aang, I still haven't gotten over it. I still have nightmares and flashbacks from decades of being in the police force. Pain like that can never be forgotten. But it can be tolerated and controlled." Lin advised.

"Thanks. I better get some rest." Aang said.

"I'll be right behind you." Lin said, looking into the ocean and tried to figure out what the hell she was going to do when they encountered her mom, Toph Beifong.

"Seeing my grandparents while my mom was just Aang's age. It's enough to drive anyone mad." Lin muttered.

Entering the hold, Katara confronted Lin.

"You're from the future?!" Katara angrily hissed.

"Calm down. I don't want anyone to know." Lin said.

"You told Aang. Hell, how much of your life did you tell Aang, that me and Sokka don't know?" Katara asked.

"To tell you the truth, not a whole lot. I'd rather not be responsible for damaging the timeline beyond repair. If it can be repaired in the first place." Lin said.

"You knew Aang in the future, didn't you?" Katara asked.

"I knew all of you in the future. But I was close to Aang. He was like a father to me." Lin said.

"And now, you're a mother to him. Maybe a girlfriend." Katara said.

"Ew. That's messed up beyond reason." Lin said.

"Can't wait to see how the earth-bending training will be." Katara sarcastically said.

"Walk away, right now." Lin threatened, brandishing one of her knives.

Arriving at the earth kingdom base, they were greeted to a fireworks show.

"I am general Fong. And welcome to all of you, great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, badass Lin, the mighty Katara." General Fong said.

"Mighty Katara. I like that." Katara said.

Inside the base, they sat opposite of the general.

"Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you single-handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole. I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility." General Fong said.

"I try not to think about it." Aang said.

"Avatar…you're ready to face the firelord." Fong said, startling the group.

"What?! No I'm not!" Aang said, very surprised.

"Aang still needs to master all the four elements." Katara said.

"Not to mention the avatar state itself." Lin said.

General Fong stood up and spoke.

"Why? With the kind of power he possesses—power enough to destroy hundreds of battleships in a matter of minutes—he could defeat the Fire Lord now!" Fong said.

"But, sir, the thing is Aang can only do those things when he's in the Avatar state." Sokka said.

"You see, it's this special state where-" Aang started.

"I'm well aware. Your eyes and tattoos glow and you're able to summon unbelievable power. Without you we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores. But with you leading the way as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation." Fong said.

"Right... but I'm don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar state, much less what to do once I'm there." Aang said.

"So it's decided then. I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar state, and then you'll face your destiny." Fong said.

"No, nothing's decided. We already have a plan. Aang's pursuing his destiny his own way." Katara said.

"Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on. May I show you something?" Fong asked, as he headed to a window. Aang followed and saw the surviving soldiers at the infirmary.

"Sokka, I need to tell you something." Katara said.

"What is it?" Sokka asked.

"Lin is from the future. I overheard her talking to Aang." Katara said.

"That's crazy. That's impossible." Sokka said.

"It is true. I am from the future. 74 years to be exact. I won't be born for another 20 years." Lin said.

"Then how'd you come back in time?" Sokka asked.

"You may find this odd, but a spirit brought me back. I don't know when I'll return." Lin said.

"So if you're from the future, you know what will happen." Sokka said.

"In a general sense. I won't speak about the future. Hell, I barely told anything to Aang. But I do confide certain things to him." Lin said.

Sokka and Katara were hurt that Lin would confide to Aang, and not tell them.

"Listen, I'm planning this day by day, second by second. From now on, I'll tell all of you what I choose to tell you. Push me, and you'll regret it. A dead person can't talk." Lin said, threatening their lives.

That night, Aang walked in and delivered the news.

"I told the general I'd help him… by going into the Avatar state." Aang said.

"Aang, no. This isn't the right way." Katara said.

"Why not? Remember how he took out the fire navy? He was incredible." Sokka said.

"There's a right way to do this. Practice, study, and discipline." Katara said.

"Or glow it up and stop that firelord." Sokka continued.

"If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine. Go ahead and glow it up!" Katara angrily said, walking away.

"Katara, I'm just being realistic. I don't have time to do this the right way." Aang said.

"Both of you are right." Lin said, walking in.

"Both of us?" Aang asked.

"You don't have the time, and we'll have to jumpstart your training soon. But you can't go and fight the firelord right now, even with the avatar state. You don't know earth and firebending. You'll need both of those elements to fight him, not just air and water. If you try and fight the firelord right now, you're dead. Even with the avatar state." Lin said.

"So you think I should continue to learn the elements." Aang said.

"It's the only way that'll work." Lin said. Aang looked unsure about it.

The next day, they tried various ideas to get Aang into the avatar state.

"This rare chi-enhancing tea is a natural stimulant. In an ordinary warrior it improves strength and energy ten-fold. In you, it may induce the Avatar state." A teacher said, handing Aang a cup.

Aang drank the cup, and raced around the small structure on his air scooter, speaking rapidly and in a high pitched voice. He slammed into the structure, not entering the avatar state.

Next, was shocking him awake. Sokka put Momo in front of his face, and when Katara removed her hands from Aang's eyes, Aang cried out in shock, but didn't enter the avatar state.

They had one last stupid idea for the day. Inside a temple, Aang was wearing a ridiculous outfit. Opposite of him, was a priest.

"You are wearing a ceremonial piece of clothing from each of the bending nations. Now I will join the four elements into one! Water, earth, fire, and air. Four elements joined as one!" the priest said, putting a pan of water, dirt, a torch, and blows air into a mixture, then throws it on Aang.

The result is mud.

"This is mud." Aang said.

"Do you feel anything?" The priest asked.

Aang just sneezed in response, and coated everyone else in mud.

In the evening, Katara confronted Aang about his decision to go with the insane idea.

"Do you remember when we were at the air temple and you found Monk Gyatso's skeleton? It must have been so horrible and traumatic for you. I saw you get so upset that you weren't even you anymore. I'm not saying the Avatar state doesn't have incredible—and helpful power. But you have to understand, for the people who love you, watching you be in that much rage and pain is really scary." Katara said.

"I'm really glad you told me that. But I still need to do this." Aang said.

"I don't understand." Katara said.

"You don't. Every day more and more people die. I'm already a hundred years late. Defeating the Fire Lord is the only way to stop this war. I have to try it." Aang said.

"I can't watch you do this to yourself. I'm not coming tomorrow. Goodnight." Katara said, walking away.

That night, Aang had another nightmare. He saw his avatar state land on the deck of a fire nation ship and knocks himself overboard. The glowing Aang then attacks Zuko as well. Aang quickly woke up, and felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay. I'm here." Lin quietly said, not waking Sokka up.

"Lin, I don't think we should be doing this." Aang said.

"I agree." Lin said.

"But what if the general gets mad?" Aang asked.

"So what? He can't force your hand. You're the avatar." Lin said.

Aang climbed into his bed, and was surprised when Lin followed him.

"I'll stay if you have another nightmare." She said, eyeing Sokka. Man, that boy could sleep thru Sozin's comet.

"Man, the two of you really enjoy your pillow talk." Sokka said.

Next morning, Aang and his friends told general Fong his decision.

"The thing is, I don't think we'll ever be able to trigger it on purpose. So, I guess that's it." Aang said.

"Sure I can't change your mind?" Fong asked.

"I'm sure. I can only reach the avatar state when I'm in genuine danger." Aang said.

General Fong looked away.

"I see. I was afraid you'd say that." He said.

Fong sends his desk flying towards Aang. Aang is sent from the tower and into the courtyard.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Lin shouted, as Fong approached the hole in the wall.

"Men, attack the avatar!" Feng shouts, as 12 soldiers move in to attack.

"Oh god, no." Lin muttered.

Fong's soldiers to use everything in their arsenals to attack Aang. Spearmen on ostrich horses, to elite earth-bender troops. Aang uses his mobility and speed to stay ahead of his attackers.

"You can't run forever!" Fong shouts.

"You can't fight forever!" Aang retorted.

"I've had enough of this shit." Lin muttered, and joined the fray. While Aang dodges attacks, Lin goes on the offensive and knocks out several earth-benders. A wall of earth discs is aimed at her, and let loose.

Lin easily destroys the discs, and focuses on Fong. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees that Aang had escaped.

"You and me, general." Lin said.

"You can escape me, but she can't. She's only one person." Fong said, and started to fire earth projectiles at Lin. Lin effortlessly dodges them, and continues her attack.

An earth disk is thrown at Lin. Lin drops into the splits to avoid the disk as it flies over her head. Getting back up, Lin brings up an earth barrier and is forced to hold her ground as earthbenders have her pinned under immense fire.

Fong maliciously smirks, as he approaches Lin from behind and fires a well calculated shot at Lin, knocking her out.

"Come out, Avatar. If you wish to save your friend, go into the avatar state!" Fong shouts, as he proceeds to sink Lin into the ground as if it was quicksand.

"No!" Sokka yells, as he rides an ostrich horse to attack Fong, only for Fong to bury the animal's legs into the dirt. Sokka goes flying and lands inside the hole of an earth disk.

"Stop this! You have to let her go!" Aang shouts, as Lin wakes up, and realizes her predicament.

"Aang, do something!" Lin shouts, as she's buried waist deep, her hands also buried in the dirt as well.

"You could save her if you were in the avatar state." Fong says.

"I'm trying. I'm trying!" Aang pleads.

With terror in her eyes, Lin looks at Aang, pleading with him to enter the avatar state.

"I don't see glowing." Fong says.

Aang drops to the ground, now hysterical.

"You don't have to do this!" He pleads.

"Apparently, I do." Fong growls, and he fully sinks Lin into the earth.

Aang leaps to rescue Lin, but fails to grab her. Aang quickly enters the avatar state, and glares at the general.

"It worked. It worked!" Fong shouts, ecstatic.

Aang quickly and brutally attacks Fong, who is sent flying into the base of the tower. Aang lifts himself into a vortex of dirt.

Fong brings up Lin from the ground, yelling at Aang.

"Avatar Aang, can you hear me?! Your friend is safe! It was just a trick to trigger the Avatar state, AND IT WORKED!" Fong shouts.

Aang doesn't listen, and slams into the ground. Large chunks of earth destroy buildings, send soldiers, and Fong, flying all over the place. The courtyard is ruined beyond recognition.

Aang's spirit is taken by Roku for further education, while his body is still remaining in the avatar state.

Minutes later, Aang leaves the avatar state and looks at the now destroyed arena.

"Aang, you okay?" Katara asked.

"I'm sorry, Katara. I hope you never have to see me like that again." Aang said.

"Hah! Are you joking? That was almost perfect! We just have to find a way to control you when you're like that." Fong said, approaching the duo.

"You're out of your fucking mind. You almost killed me." Lin said, approaching the general. Brandishing her knife, she slashes and cuts Fong's left cheek wide open. Looking in shock, Fong fails to notice Sokka ride next to him on an ostrich horse, and knock him out by slamming the butt end of his boomerang on his head.

"Anyone else got a problem with that?" Sokka asked.

The soldiers shake their heads in unison.

"Do you still want an escort to Ba Sing Se?" a soldier asks.

"I think we're all set." Katara says.

Leaving the base, Lin quickly remembers something Aang told her when she was younger, regarding the next part of their journey.

 _Gold help us if we have to go into the cave of two lovers._


	20. Chapter 20 the cave of two lovers

Ch 20 the cave of two lovers

Lin sat on the edge of the water, as Katara and Aang practiced their waterbending. Katara was teaching Aang how to form an octopus with his water. When Aang makes his octopus, Katara fires several water projectiles at him, only to have them get intercepted by the water tentacles. One of the tentacles reaches out and grabs Katara.

"Well done, pupil Aang." Katara said.

Hearing people walking towards them, they looked to see some nomads looking towards them. Lin heard of them before. Many called them gypsies. And she was in no mood to talk with them.

"Hello." Lin curtly, if not rudely said to them.

"Hey, armor lady." Chong said.

"Who are you?" Sokka asked.

"I'm Chong, and this is my wife Lily. We're nomads, happy to go wherever the wind takes us!" Chong said.

"That's great, but we have to Omashu." Lin said, walking away from them to Appa.

They didn't leave immediately, but were bogged down as the nomads told them stories they heard, and places they saw. Having enough, Sokka told them they needed to leave.

"We need to go to Omashu, right now." Sokka said.

"While you're still here, there's a tale about a secret pass, right thru the mountains." Chong said.

"Is this real, or a legend?" Katara asked.

"It's a real legend. And it's as old as earth-bending itself." Chong said.

"Cave of the two lovers. I've heard of it. And we'd rather take our chances flying." Lin said.

"Lin's right. We've dealt with the fire nation before. We'll be fine." Sokka said.

They weren't fine. They flew right into a hornets' nest of catapults. The catapults fired their flaming rounds, and Appa was forced to run for his life.

"Secret love cave. Lets go." Sokka said.

Approaching the entrance of the tunnel, Sokka asked a question.

"How long until we reach the tunnel?" Sokka asked.

"Not just one tunnel. The lovers didn't want anyone to find out, so they built a whole labyrinth." Chong said.

"Labyrinth?" Sokka asked.

"If I get separated from these freaks, it'll be the best thing that'll happen to me this whole day." Lin muttered.

Heading inside the tunnel, they heard the fire nation tanks roll up to the entrance, and brought the tunnel entrance down, imprisoning them inside.

Appa began to try and dig out, but couldn't break thru.

"It's okay, Appa. We'll be fine." Katara said.

"We will be fine. All we need is a plan. Chong, how long do those torches last?" Sokka asked.

"Two hours." Chong said.

"And we have 5 torches. So that's 10 hours." Lily said, lighting the torches.

"It doesn't work if all of them are lit!" Sokka shouted, grabbing the torches and put the flames out.

"There's another way out. We feel the wall of the caves and follow them. We'll find a way out." Lin said.

"Why don't you use your seismic sense to guide us out of here?" Aang asked.

"I can do that. But if I get separated from everyone-" Lin said.

"And take Aang with you." Katara muttered in jest, loud enough for only Lin to hear.

"You're on your own." Lin continued, ignoring Katara's remark.

"I'm going to make a map to keep track of exactly where we've been. Then we should be able to solve it like a maze and get through." Sokka said, digging thru Appa's saddle and taking a piece of paper and a writing quill.

Sokka led them thru the caves, but led them into many dead ends.

"Sokka, this is the tenth dead-end you've lead us to." Katara said.

"This doesn't make any sense; we already came this way." Sokka said, looking at the map and retracing his steps.

Sokka then realized something.

"The tunnels are changing." Sokka announced.

"The tunnels... they're a-changin'. Ah, it must be the curse. I _knew_ we shouldn't have come down here." Chong said, almost having a panic attack.

"Right. If only we listened to you." Sokka cynically replied.

"Everyone. Be quiet. Listen." Katara said.

With the sound gone, everyone waits and sees a wolf-bat approach them rapidly.

"It's a giant flying thing with teeth!" Chong exclaims.

"No. It's a wolfbat!" Moku responded.

Sokka attempts to burn it, but misses. The embers burn Appa, and he stampedes around the tunnel. In a panic, Sokka drops his torch and it lands on Appa's foot. Roaring in pain, Appa runs into the cave walls and the result is a cave-in that threatens to kill everyone. Aang sends a blast of air to get Chong, Sokka, Katara, and the others out of harms way.

Feeling a metal cable wrap around his torso, he is pulled back away from the falling rubble and is tackled by Lin.

When the dust settles, Aang looks at the debris and comes up with an idea.

"Lin, you can clear this." Aang said.

"Aang, the tunnels have been moving for hundreds of years. If I try something, I'll bring the roof down on us. Besides, I'd rather die here than spend one more second with that group." Lin said.

"What about Sokka and Katara?" Aang asked.

"They'll be fine. I hope." Lin said, a little unsure about it. Lighting a torch, Aang walks forward and Lin follows behind.

"I guess it wouldn't be too much to have an earth-bending lesson." Aang said, earning a look from Lin.

"Just trying to ease the tension." Aang said.

Lin sighed, but a soft smile appeared on her face.

"You and Su would get along just fine." Lin said.

"Who?" Aang asked.

"My sister. Suyin. If you were to compare the both of us, she had your optimistic temperament. Me, I'm bitter and cynical." Lin said.

"You don't seem that bitter and cynical." Aang said.

"I've loosened over the years." Lin said.

"I have question. You're 54 years old, and you said yourself that you won't be born for another 20 years. I did the math in my head, so your parents are alive right now." Aang said.

Sighing, Lin wondered if she should tell Aang about her mom.

"Yes. My mother is Toph Beifong. She's your age right now and alive." Lin said.

"Think you'll meet her?" Aang asked.

"I get the feeling I'll meet her real soon. God, that'll drive me mad." Lin muttered.

"If I could go back in time and see the air-benders again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. You're lucky, Lin. Doing what no person, or spirit for that matter, has ever done." Aang said.

"Thanks." Lin said, touched by Aang.

"We found the exit!" Aang said, seeing a large round stone door ahead of them.

Lin approaches the door, outstretches her arms, and removes the door with her earth-bending, taking considerable energy to do so.

"This isn't the exit." Lin said, as she looked past the doorway.

"It's a tomb." Aang said.

The two walked inside the room, seeing two caskets and a large painting on the wall behind the caskets.

"It must be the two lovers from the legend. That's who's buried here." Aang said.

Lin looked at the painting and read what was written.

"The pictures tell the story. They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages. The villages were enemies so they could not be together. But their love was strong and they found a way. The two lovers learned earthbending from the badger moles. They became the first earthbenders. By the way, my mom learned earthbending from the badger moles as well." Lin inputted, before continuing the reading.

"They built elaborate tunnels so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth. But one day the man didn't come. He died in the war between their two villages. Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her earthbending power. She could have destroyed them all. But instead she declared the war over. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love." Lin said.

Turning behind them, they see a statue of the two lovers kissing, a plague written between them.

"Love is brightest in the dark." Lin said.

"How are we going to find our way out of the tunnels?" Aang asked.

"Listen. The curse says that unless we trust in love, we'll die here." Lin said.

"Right." Aang said.

"And it says love is brightest in the dark, and it shows them kissing." Lin said, looking at Aang in the eyes.

"Where are you going with this?" Aang asked, totally clueless.

"We kiss." Lin said.

"That's a crazy idea." Aang said.

"It is, but given the circumstances, I'd kiss you again." Lin calmly said.

"Again?" Aang asked.

"What? You don't remember? You kissed me at the northern pole." Lin said, a sly smile on her face, as she enjoyed watching Aang squirm in embarrassment.

"That was a spur of the moment. On impulse." Aang defended.

"Yeah, and every yoga session we've had, you were ogling me half the time." Lin said, still smiling.

Aang had no response for that.

"Okay. You caught me. I have feelings for you." Aang said.

"Good. Now, follow me. We'll talk about it later when we escape." Lin said, walking down a tunnel.

After half an hour of walking, Aang looked at the candle.

"We're going to run out of light, aren't we?" he asked.

"We are." Lin said.

Dropping the dwindling candle, Aang and Lin embrace each other and kiss. Being the dominant type, Lin pushes her tongue into Aang's mouth and pushes him to the ground, straddling him.

The two sloppily make out for what seemed like an eternity when Aang noticed something.

"Look." He said, pointing to the ceiling.

Lin stood up and saw that the ceiling was brightly lit up by crystals.

"The crystals work in the dark. Time to get the hell out of here." Lin said, picking Aang up and ran at the end of the tunnel.

Exiting the tunnel, Appa let out a mighty roar, and fell to his side, clearly happy to be outside.

"Where's Sokka and Katara?" Aang asked, when two badger moles broke thru the earth; everyone else from the group riding them.

"Sokka, Katara!" Aang shouted, happy to see his friends still alive.

"How'd you two get out?" Sokka asked.

"Just like the legend says; we let love guide the way." Aang said.

"Really? We let huge ferocious beasts lead our way." Sokka said.

"Sokka, why is your forehead red?" Lin asked.

"Don't be alarmed, but I think this kid is the avatar." Chong said, and Sokka slapped his forehead, making it even redder.

Departing from the nomads, they climbed one final hill that overlooked the fortress city of Omashu.

"The journey was long and annoying, but now you get to see what it's really about…the destination. And I present to you, the city O…oh no…" Sokka said, as he looked in shock.

The city of Omashu was fully conquered by the fire nation. Flames were seen from the battle, and siege towers surrounded it.


	21. Chapter 21 return to Omashu

Chapter 21 return to Omashu

"I can't believe it. I know the war has spread far, but Omashu seemed untouchable." Aang said, as they looked at the city.

"Up until now, it was. Now Ba-Sing-Se is the only great Earth Kingdom stronghold left." Sokka said.

"This is horrible, but we have to move on." Katara said.

"No. I'm going to find Bumi." Aang said.

"Aang, stop. We don't know if Bumi's still…" Sokka started.

"What? If he's still alive?" Aang asked, turning to face Sokka, his face hardened.

"…around." Sokka said, not meeting Aang's eyes.

I know you had your heart set on Bumi, but Lin can teach you earthbending." Katara said.

"This isn't about finding a teacher. This is about finding my friend." Aang said.

Appa takes the group towards a lower part of the city, and Aang works to break open a sewage door.

"A secret passageway? Why didn't use it last time we were here?" Sokka asked.

Aang breaks the door off, and the sewage falls out and covers Sokka.

"Does that answer your question?" Aang asked, before he walked into the pipe. Lin follows closely behind him, then Katara, then Sokka.

Exiting the pipeway thru a manhole in the streets, everyone but Sokka escapes with little or no sludge on them. Sokka comes out, and is covered head to toe.

"Holy shit." Lin muttered, earning a strange look from Katara.

Katara bends some water from a nearby water well onto Sokka, clearing the sludge from him. Dripping wet, Sokka is then hit by a gust of air and quickly dried.

"Purple pentapus." Lin said, taking them off of Sokka's cheek.

Lin hears something, and pulls everyone into the shadows. They watch as two fire nation soldiers walk by on their patrol. When they leave, the group walks out of cover and continues to find Bumi. Katara grabs a red cap and puts it on Aang's head, to hide his tattoos.

The group ducked behind some cover, and observed the city.

"Let's find Bumi and get out of here." Katara said.

"Where would they be keeping him?" Sokka asked.

"Somewhere where he can't earthbend. Someplace made of metal." Aang said.

Walking thru the city, they come across a large chute, and see debris falling down it. Seeing people walking into the way of the debris, Aang and Lin destroy the debris, and look at the family they just saved.

"The resistance!" the mother shouts, pointing at Aang.

Mai then throws a hail of arrows at the duo, but Lin stops them with her metalbending, and fires them back at Mai, nailing her in the arms.

Mai ceases pursuit, as she's unable to fight. The gang flees and is soon captured by earth kingdom soldiers.

A torch is lit, and Aang sees a room filled with soldiers and family members.

"So, is King Bumi with you guys? Is he leading the resistance?" Aang asked.

"Of course not! The day of the invasion, we readied ourselves for battle. We were prepared to defend our city...to fight for our lives and for our freedom. But before we even had a chance, King Bumi surrendered." The resistance leader said.

"It doesn't matter now. Fighting the Fire Nation is the only path to freedom. And freedom is worth dying for." The leader said.

"Actually there's another path to freedom. You could leave Omashu. You're directing all your energy to fight the Fire Nation. But you're outnumbered. You can't win. Now's the time to retreat, so you can live to fight another day." Aang said.

"You don't understand. They've taken everything from us. We have to fight them at any costs!" the resistance leader said.

"I don't know. Living to fight another day seems like a good idea." A soldier said.

Others agreed with him.

"Fine. But there are thousands of citizens who need to leave. How are we going to get them out?" the leader asked.

"Suckers." Sokka said, coming up with an idea.

"You're all about to come down with a bad case of pentapox." Sokka said.

Everyone was covered with bruises from the purple pantapi found in good numbers. By the morning, the entire population is marked as 'sick.'

Walking towards the gate of the city, they walked as if they were zombies. Some fell over, pretending to die from the disease.

"Plague! Plague!" a fire nation soldier shouted.

Being herded out of the city, they make camp and wait for Aang to return. Aang does return with Floopsie, but no Bumi.

"We searched all over the place. We didn't find him." Aang said to his friends.

"We did a head count, and we have a problem." The resistance leader says.

"Did someone get left behind?" Katara asked.

"No. We have an additional person." The leader says, as Momo appears, dragging the baby child of the governor.

"Great." Lin muttered, and walked to see the city. Aang joined her, and the two sat in silence, but were interrupted when a messenger hawk appeared. Taking the message back to the camp, Aang reads it.

"It's from the Fire Nation governor. He thinks we kidnapped his son. So...he wants to make a trade. His son for king Bumi." Aang said.

The next morning, the gang makes final preperations to go back into the city.

"You realize we're walking into a trap." Sokka said.

"I don't think so. I'm sure the Governor wants his son back, just as much as we want Bumi. I have a good feeling about today." Aang said.

On a scaffolding, they faced Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula.

"Listen to me. If it turns into a fight, you guys run. Don't wait for anyone. Including me." Lin said to her friends.

"Are you going to fight them by yourself?" Aang asked.

"Yes." Lin said, squeezing Aang's hand.

Aang stepped forward, as Bumi was raised up by a crane. He was imprisoned inside a metal box, his face appearing.

"Hi, everyone!" Bumi said, appearing oblivious to his situation.

"You brought my brother?" Mai asked.

"We're ready to trade." Aang said.

"Wait a second. We're trading a two-year-old baby, for a power earthbending king. Doesn't seem like a fair trade." Azula said.

"Shit." Lin muttered, and readied herself for battle.

"You're right. The deal is off." Mai said, and Bumi was hoisted away.

Aang jumps high up the scaffolding to recue Bumi, and Azula follows. Meanwhile, Mai and Ty Lee face down Lin, Sokka, and Katara.

"We got to get the baby out of here!" Katara says.

"Way ahead of you." Sokka says, blowing on the bison whistle.

Mai throws her knives at the group, spreading them far so Lin won't stop them. Lin stops the blades aimed at her friends, but a knife grazes her neck, drawing some blood. In a state of alert, Lin fails to register the pain, her adrenaline flowing.

Sokka is knocked to the ground, as Ty Lee ambushes him from below.

"You take the one with the knifes." Lin told Katara, as she fired her cables at Ty Lee. The cable wrapped around Ty Lee's ankle. Ty Lee looks in surprise at Lin, never seeing her before.

Lin pulls the cable taunt and tosses Ty Lee around like a rag doll. Recognzing her as the greater threat between the pair, Lin pulls the acrobat closer and cuts her stomach open with her wrist knives.

"One to go." Lin said, as she and Katara face Mai.

"Get out of here. This won't take too long." Lin told Katara.

Mai throws another barrage of knives at Lin, and this time, several make it through. Lin gritts her teeth in pain, as she pulls a stiletto knife out of her left hand, drawing blood.

As the two face each other, Appa appears out of nowhere and blasts Mai back with a swipe of his tail. Getting on board, Lin spots Aang and Bumi.

"There's Aang!" Katara shouts.

Getting closer, Aang launches the coffin out of the chute. Unfortunately, they're moving too fast for Appa to catch, and Bumi lands on another chute, with Azula in pursuit.

"Fuck!" Lin shouts, as she watches the pursuit happen.

"Lin, can't you do something?" Sokka asked.

"And be shot at by her? Good luck with that." Lin said, knowing that any attempt to help Aang would be suicidal.

Azula is stopped, as Bumi raises a pillar of earth in front of Azula's path.

Bumi and Aang reach the bottom of the chute, away from prying eyes.

"Down there." Lin said, pointing to their location.

Descending to pick up the both of them, they saw only Aang and Momo. With a depressed face, Aang walked onto Appa, and they flew away from the city.

"It's okay, Aang." Katara said.

"No. It's not. Who knows if we'll see him again?" Aang asked.

"Aang, let this be fuel for your training. The sooner you end the war, the sooner you'll see Bumi again." Lin said.

"Hey, what's with the blood?" Sokka asked, seeing blood smeers on the saddle.

"Oh. Look at that." Lin said, holding her bleeding hand.

"Look at that?! Lin, you're bleeding from your neck and hand!" Katara exclaimed.

"Calm down, sugar queen." Lin said.

"Sugar queen?" Katara asked.

"Yes. Sugar queen. Besides, you and Aang are waterbenders, so I got nothing to worry about." Lin said.

"I want to try my hand at healing." Aang said, forming two blobs of water around his hands. Putting his left on Lin's neck and his right hand holding Lin's injured hand, he breathed in and out, and concentrated on healing Lin's wounds.

"Okay, I think she's healed." Katara said.

"Thanks you, Aang." Lin said.

"Before we leave, there's one more thing I need to do." Aang said.

That night, Aang snuck back into the city, and returned the mayor's baby child.


	22. Chapter 22 the swamp

Ch 22 the swamp

Appa flew over a large forested area, in slow descent, with everyone minding themselves. Aang looked at the ground in a mesmerized state.

"Hey, you taking us down for a reason?" Sokka asked.

Aang didn't respond, still looking at the swamp.

"Aang! Why are we going down?" Sokka asked, catching the Avatar's attention.

"What? I didn't even notice." Aang said.

"Are you noticing now?" Sokka asked.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked.

"I know this is going to sound strange, but I think the swamp is calling to me." Aang said.

"Is it telling you where we can get something to eat?" Sokka asked, holding his stomach.

"No. It wants us to land." Aang said.

"No offense to the swamp, but I don't see any place to land." Sokka said.

"Bumi said to learn earthbending, I would have to wait and listen. And Lin has been saying the same thing over and over, and now I'm actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it?" Aang said.

"Yes." Sokka said.

"I don't know. There's something ominous about that place." Katara said.

"I've heard stories about how people go inside the swamp, and never leave. Hell, the bodies were never found." Lin said, looking at the swamp as well, an unsure expression on her face.

Appa and Momo groan in discomfort.

"See, even Appa and Momo don't like it." Sokka said.

"Okay, since everyone feels so strongly about this... bye swamp." Aang said.

Appa rises upward, and a loud noise is quickly heard.

"Oh shit." Lin says, as she looks behind and sees a tornado furiously coming towards them.

"You better throw in an extra "yip"! We gotta move!" Sokka exclaims, as the tornado bears on them.

Appa flies as fast as he can to get out of the tornado, but he's caught. Sokka is almost tossed out of the saddle, but Katara grabs him. Aang jumps into the saddle and creates a large air dome, but it isn't enough to stop them from being captured by the tornado.

The dome collapses, and everyone, man and beast, as tossed into the swamp. They land at the bottom of the trees, and look around.

"Where's Appa and Momo?" Aang asked, who then leaped up into the trees with his airbending to find them.

"Sokka, you got an elbow leech." Katara said.

"Where? Where?!" Sokka asked, freaking out.

"Where do you think?" Katara asked.

"Why do things keep on attaching themselves to me!" Sokka angrily asks, yanking the leech off and throwing it aside, almost hitting Katara.

Aang swings on a vine back to them.

"You couldn't find them?" Katara asked.

"No. And the tornado… it just disappeared." Aang said.

Walking thru the swamp, Sokka pulls out his machete and starts swinging at a set of vines in their way.

"We better speed things up." Sokka said.

"Maybe we should be a little nicer to the swamp." Aang said.

"Aang, these are just plants! Do you want me to say "please" and "thank you" as I swing my machete back and forth?" Sokka asked.

"Maybe you should listen to Aang. Something about this place feels…alive." Katara said.

"I'm sure there are lots of things that are alive here, and if we don't wanna wind up getting eaten by them, we need to find Appa as fast as we can." Sokka said, cutting thru the vines with his machete.

"The boy's going to get us all killed." Lin said.

"I know. Sokka can be real stubborn sometimes." Katara said.

"Lin, you okay?" Aang asked, noticing Lin on edge.

"I'm fine." Lin lied.

Hours passed, and they searched in vain for Appa and Momo.

"We'll have to make camp for the night." Sokka said.

Dozens of swamp flies approach Sokka, who bats them away with his machete. They go, as a bubble of swamp gas appears from the muddy water beneath them.

"Oh, god." Lin mutters, covering her mouth and nose.

As everyone clenches their noses, a terrifying scream is heard. They quickly hold onto each other, with bugged out eyes.

"What was that?" Katara whispered.

"I don't know." Lin whispered back.

"I think we should build a fire." Sokka says.

"Great idea. Lets make ourselves a visible target to every creature in the swamp." Lin sarcastically said.

"Sokka, the longer we're here the more I think you shouldn't be doing that." Katara says.

"No, I asked the swamp. It said it was fine. Right swamp?" Sokka asked, as he grabbed the root and spoke in a different tone.

"No problem, Sokka."

Lin rolled her eyes in response. Building the fire on a ledge, Lin stares into the fire, relying on her seismic sense to tell her of any threats.

"Does anyone else get the feeling we're being watched?" Katara asked.

"Please, we're all alone out here." Sokka said.

"We're not alone. Sokka, this is a fucking swamp. Strange animals and creatures live in it." Lin said, getting too close to the fire.

"Don't tell me you're afraid. It's just a swamp." Sokka said.

"Sokka, I'm terrified." Lin deadpanned, but her eyes spoke her true emotions.

Before anyone can respond to that, a fly appeared into their view and turned into a ball of light. Behind the group, many glowing eyes look at them.

"Behind us." Lin says, and the group follows her command. They look into many sinister eyes. After a few seconds of staring down their threat, the eyes disappear. Struck with fear, they hold each other in a group hug.

"Doubt we'll have much luck sleeping." Lin says.

As the night passed on, sleep overtook them. As they slept, vines wrapped themselves around them, and pulled them into four separate directions.

"AGHH!" Lin screams, as she's pulled away from a vine. Lin claws at the ground, but the speed of her movement prevents her from gaining any solid earth. Whipping out her cables, she cuts the vines away and earthbends herself onto a high tree branch.

Not seeing anyone else, Lin continues her escape, swinging from tree branch to tree branch.

Lin hears something, and turns around.

"Aang? Anyone?" Lin asked.

Hearing nothing, Lin jumps to a lower tree branch and continues her search. The voices are slowly growing louder, and Lin hides behind a tree. Taking a deep breath, she pulls out her wrist blades, and prepares for a fight.

"3, 2, 1." Lin says to herself, and runs out from cover to face whatever is facing her.

Lin quickly stops, and looks to face what she saw.

Standing in front of Lin, is an older Avatar Aang, in his 60s. Sokka, around the same age group, a much older Katara, her father, a much older Toph, Su Beifong, and her grandparents. Behind them, are police officers Lin trained and served with, who have died in the line of duty.

A trembling Lin, on the verge of tears, approaches them. Reaching out towards the older Aang, she caresses his cheek, but quickly feels cold air. Lin looks again, and sees nothing but the dark swamp.

Knowing it was an illusion, Lin continues her search, but debates whether to tell the group or not.

 _I'm not telling them._

With her walk turning into a jog, Lin runs on a thick branch, and follows its movements, and runs right into Aang, and tumbles into Katara and Sokka.

"What do you guys think you're doing! I've been looking all over for you!" Sokka angrily says.

"Well, I've been wandering around, looking for you!" Katara says.

"I was chasing some girl." Aang said.

"What girl?" Katara asked.

"I don't know. I heard laughing, and I saw girl in a fancy dress." Aang said.

"Well, there must be a tea party here, and we didn't get invited." Sokka sarcastically said.

"I thought I saw mom." Katara said, after some silence.

"Look, we were all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here." Sokka said.

"You saw something too?" Katara asked.

"I saw Yue. But that doesn't prove anything. Look, I think about her all the time, and you saw Mom. Someone you miss a lot." Sokka said.

"Lin, did you see something?" Katara asked, catching her off-guard.

"No. I didn't." Lin quickly says.

"What about me? I didn't know the girl I saw. And all our visions led us right here." Aang said.

"Okay…so where are we? The middle of the swamp?" Katara asked.

"Yes. The center. It's the heart of the swamp. It's been calling us here. I knew it." Aang said.

It's just a tree. It can't call anyone! For the last time, there's nothing after us and there's nothing magical happening here." Sokka says, frustrated.

Out of the blue, a huge swamp monster appears from the water. Everyone quickly hugs each other and screams their heads off, terrified beyond nature.

The giant swamp monster then attacks, swinging a vine at Aang. Everyone separates, but Sokka is captured by the vines. Aang attacks with his airbending, and frees Sokka from the monster's grasp.

The monster then knocks Aang back with a swipe of his arm, and grabs Sokka, again. Feeling the earth beneath the swamp, Lin raises earth walls to imprison the monster, and for a second it quits moving.

"Got it." Lin says.

The monster breaks thru the earthen prison as if it was made of thin paper, and a vine punches Lin in the torso and sends her back flying.

And Sokka is captured, again.

"Why is this thing focusing on me?!" He shouts, as she struggles to break free of its death grip.

Katara skates in across the water and severs the left arm of the monster, freeing Sokka. The monster quickly repairs the damage to its arm and continues its attack.

Lin appears and fires shards of earth bullets in rapid fire, shredding the vines of the monster.

Katara joins her as she rapid fires loops of water at the monster, the loops growing in size as they approach the monster. As they do so, Aang attacks with various air slices on its side, cutting away its vines.

"There's someone in there! He's bending the vines!" Sokka shouts.

Katara produces a large water whip and cuts the head of the monster in two. Aang finishes it off with a large air blast. The vines are gone, and a fat leaf clad man stands where the monster used to stand.

"Why did you call us here if you wanted to kill us?" Aang angrily asked.

"Wait! I didn't call you here." Hue said.

"We were flying overhead and I heard something calling to me, telling me to land." Aang said.

"He's the avatar. Stuff like that happens to us. A lot." Sokka said.

"The avatar! Come with me." Hue says.

Dropping their combat stances, they follow Hue, unsure if they should trust him or not.

Hue leads them to the great tree at the center of the swamp.

"So, who are you then?" Katara asked.

"I protect this swamp from folks who want to hurt it. Like this fellow with his big knife." Hue says, referring to Sokka.

"See? Completely reasonable. Not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it." Sokka said.

"Oh bullshit, Sokka. I saw it in your eyes when we faced him. You genuinely thought it was a monster, native to the swamp." Lin said.

"The swamp is mystical, alright. It's sacred." Hue said, sitting down.

"I reached enlightenment right here underneath the banion grove tree. I heard it calling, just like you did." Hue said.

"Sure ya did. It's real chatty." Sokka replied.

"See, this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out across thousands of miles. Branches spread and sink, and took root and then spread some more. One big living organism. Just like the entire world." Hue said.

"I get the tree. But the whole world?" Aang asked.

"Sure. You think you're any different from me? Or your friends? Or this tree? If you listen hard enough you can hear every living thing breathing together, you can feel everything growing. We're all livin' together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree." Hue said.

"But what did our visions mean?" Katara asked.

"In the swamp, we see visions of people we've lost, people we loved. Folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to them. Time is an illusion. And so is death." Hue said.

"But what about my vision? It was someone I had never met." Aang said.

"You're the avatar. You tell me." Hue said.

"Time is an illusion… so it's someone I'll meet?" Aang asked.

"That's correct." Hue said.

Lin listened carefully as Hue explained what the illusions were, and had to swallow back tears. She'd shed them in quiet.

"Sorry to interrupt the lesson, but we still need to find Appa and Momo." Sokka said, standing up.

"I think I know how to find them. Everything is connected." Aang said, as he put a hand on the root and concentrated.

Aang quickly stood up when he realized something.

"We got to hurry!" He said.

Following Aang, they quickly came upon Appa and Momo, as they were being carried away in nets, captured by the swamp benders.

Aang and Katara launched a blitz of air and water, taking out several boats and freeing Momo. The waterbenders in the boats retaliate with waterbending, but the water is blocked by Katara and Aang's waterbending.

"You guys are waterbenders." Katara said.

"You too, that means we're kin." Due said.

Katara looked horrified.

Sokka and Hue quickly join them, and Due talks to Hue.

:Hey, Hue! How's it going?" Due asked.

"You know, scared some folks, swung some vines, the usual." Hue said.

"Hue?" Sokka asked.

Making camp with the swamp benders, everyone eats shish-kabobs, team Avatar wolfing there's down.

"Man, you guys are hungry." Due says.

"We haven't eaten anything since this morning." Lin says, eating a third shish-kabob.

"Taste like arctic hen." Sokka said, eating his.

"So where'd you say you were from?" Tho asked Katara.

"The south pole." Katara answered.

"Didn't know there were any waterbenders anywhere but here. They got a nice swamp there, do they?" Tho asked.

"No. it's all ice and snow." Katara said.

"Huh. No wonder you left." Tho answered.

"Well, I hope you realize now that nothing strange was going on here. Just a bunch of greasy people living in a swamp." Sokka said.

"What about the visions?" Katara asked.

"I told you, we were hungry. I'm eating a giant bug!" Sokka said, and ate a large chunk of said giant bug.

"Let me try that." Lin said, and ate a good sized chunk out of it. She grimaced in disgust and swallowed it.

"You can have it." She said, giving the remains back to Sokka.

"But what about when the tree showed me where Appa and Momo where?" Aang asked.

"That's avatar stuff. Doesn't count. The only think I can't figure out, is how you made that tornado that sucked us down." Sokka said to Hue.

"I can't do anything like that. I just bend water in the plants." Hue said.

"Well, no accounting for weather. Still, there's absolutely nothing mysterious about the swamp." Sokka said.

As they were eating, one of the screaming white birds' lands on the branch and screams. Hue waterbends the branch, and uses it to smack away the bird.

Aang wakes to the sounds of light crying. Approaching the noise, he points his staff forward, ready to face off a threat. Instead, he sees Lin, sitting on tree stump, with tears going down her face.

"Lin, you okay?" Aang asked.

"Aang, I did see something." Lin said.

"Who was it?" Aang asked.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone." Lin said.

"I promise." Aang said.

"Okay. I saw you. Katara, Sokka. My parents, grandparents, my sister, and some police officers I knew." Lin said.

"You saw me? Katara and Sokka?" Aang asked.

"Yes. I did." Lin said.

"But that means…" Aang said.

"Listen. Don't worry about the future. I just had to get this off my chest." Lin said.

"Okay. I won't tell anyone." Aang said.

"Good. Because the girl you saw, is my mother." Lin said.

"What?!" Aang exclaims.

"Jesus, calm down!" Lin hisses.

"Your mother? What's her name?" Aang asked.

"Toph Beifong. The best earth-bender in the world." Lin said.

"And I'm going to meet her. I'll have two powerful earth-bending teachers." Aang said.

"Yeah. Great." Lin said, dreading that sarcasm that her mother would throw around, once she would find out that Lin and Aang are close friends.


	23. Chapter 23 avatar day

Ch 23 avatar day

"Momo, what are you doing in my mouth?" Sokka asked, as Momo had his paw in Sokka's mouth.

Momo then hears something approaching them and flies off. A fire nation rhino appears, and the rider speaks.

"Give up! You're completely surrounded!" he said, as 4 more rhino's appear.

An archer fires three lit arrows at Sokka, imbedding themselves into his sleeping bag. Sokka barely escapes.

Lin jumps off of Appa and earthbends several pillars that block the rhino's, buying the group time to grab their important items and make a run for it.

"That was a close one." Sokka said, as he put his boomerang in its sheath.

"You're saying it. Lets stop and get some food." Lin said.

Inside the town, Sokka pays a merchant for the food.

"Hey, water tribe money." The merchant said.

"I hope that's okay." Katara said.

"As long as it's money. Have a nice avatar day." The merchant said.

"Avatar day?" Aang asked.

"You're going to the festival, right?" the merchant asked.

Heading into the city, they stand with other participates, and watch as three large statues move down the street. The statues are Avatar Aang, Kyoshi, and Roku.

"Having a huge festival in your honor is great, but frankly, it's just nice to be appreciated." Aang said.

"And it's nice to appreciate their deep-fried festival food." Sokka said, taking a large bite out of his cake.

They watch as a man runs with a torch, and look in shock as he runs into Kyoshi statue.

"What's he doing?" Katara asked.

The man then torches the Roku statue as well, and the crowd starts chanting.

"Down with the avatar!" the crowd chants over and over.

The man throws the torch at the Aang statue, hitting it in the eye. Katara rushes forward and with a display of her waterbending prowess, she douses the statues with water, putting out the fires.

"Hey! That party-pooper's ruining Avatar Day!" A spectator said.

Aang airbends himself onto his statue, and speaks.

"That party-pooper, is my friend!" He declares, taking his hat off, showing his bald head.

"It's the avatar himself!" Mayor Tong says, surprised.

"He's going to kill us all with his awesome avatar powers!" the spectator said.

"I wish he would." Lin muttered thru clenched teethed.

"I suggest you leave, Avatar. You're not welcome here." Mayor Tong says.

"Why not? Aang helps people." Katara said.

"It's true. I'm on your side." Aang said.

"I find that hard to swallow considering what you did to us in your past life. It was Avatar Kyoshi; she murdered our glorious leader, Chin the Great." Mayor Tong said.

"So you're going to harass Aang, because of something that happened 400 years ago. Wake the fuck up, and smell the fresh coffee. Aang, is not your enemy!" Lin said to the mayor.

"Give me a chance to clear my name." Aang said.

"The only way to prove your innocence is to stand trial." The mayor said.

"I'll gladly stand trial." Aang said.

"You'll have to follow all our rules. That includes paying bail."

"I'll pay the bail." Aang said.

Aang was quickly thrown into the stockades, stuck behind the bars of a cell.

"How would I know they won't accept water tribe money?" Aang asked.

"At least they didn't outright steal it from us." Lin said.

"And if they did?" Aang asked.

"This would be blood red right now." Lin said, brandishing her arm knives.

Aang raised an eyebrow at Lin's increasing ruthlessness.

"So some people don't like you. Big deal. The whole goddamned fire nation wants your head on a platter. Now lets bust out of here." Sokka said.

"I can't." Aang said.

"Sure you can." Sokka said.

"I can't do that with people thinking I'm a murder. I need you guys to help prove my innocence." Aang said.

"How are we going to do that? It happened over 300 years ago." Sokka said.

"That's okay. Lin, you said you were a detective in the police force, right?" Aang asked.

"One of the best. It's the reason I'm still alive." Lin said.

"Good. Do everything you can to prove my innocence." Aang asked.

"And if she fails?" Katara asked.

"We bust Aang out, and make a run for it. Besides, the town could fall to the fire nation any day now." Lin said.

"We break him out, and we'll have to fight everyone in here." Katara warned.

"So be it. If I have to kill everyone in the town so Aang has a chance to win the war, that's a good trade. Hundreds, for millions." Lin darkly said, reminding everyone of Jet.

"My god. You're cold, you know that?" Sokka asked.

"I know." Lin said, as she walked away.

In the city, Tong shows them a temple near the cliff edge.

"This temple was built as a monument to our great leader. Avatar Kyoshi set out from the temple and killed Chin the great." Tong said.

Lin looks at the temple and walks inside.

"So who's footprint is this?" She asked, seeing a well preserved foot-print.

"Kyoshi's." Tong said.

Lin walked inside the temple, and put her bare foot next to the footprint. Her foot was 2 times bigger than the print itself.

"You noticed anything?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. This footprint is too small for Kyoshi. She wore size 14 shoes. And this temple is way too small to fit her. She was well over 6 feet tall." Lin said.

"That's a big hole in the mayor's story." Sokka said.

Lin walks to the edge and looks down. Beneath the edge, are roaring waves, crashing against the rocky edge. Implanting her cables into the ground, she rappels down the cliff side, all the way to the bottom.

"What's she doing?" Tong asked.

"I don't know." Sokka said, equally curious.

Reaching the bottom, Lin uses her seismic sense as a makeshift radioactive dating devise. Hoisting herself up to the middle of the cliff face, she feels how rough it is.

"400 years of whether." She mutters, and heads to the top.

"You find anything?" Sokka asked.

"We need to go to Kyoshi Island." Lin said.

En route to the island, Lin told them her theory.

"That cliff face has suffered whether abuse for only 400 years. And that temple was built after. The temple and foot print are too small to fit Kyoshi. But Chin the great fits the bill." Lin said.

"So their history of events is false." Sokka said.

"Greatly. The mayor said that Kyoshi walked out of the temple and killed Chin the great. Now why would the avatar ever kill anyone, unless they had good reason to do so?" Lin asked.

Landing at Kyoshsi island, Katara explained their situation.

"Aang is in jail. The town of Chin says he murdered their leader in a past life." Katara said.

"They say it was Kyoshi." Katara said.

"Kyoshi? That's crazy talk! I'll take you to her shrine. Maybe something there will help you clear her name." Oyagi said.

Inside the shrine, Lin asked Oyagi some questions.

"How long ago was Kyoshi island founded?" Lin asked.

"400 years ago. We don't know how exactly it was created." Oyagi said.

"It fits. Kyoshi breaks the island away from mainland and puts it here." Lin said.

"She must have been one hell of an Avatar to do that." Sokka said.

"If she did kill Chin, she must have a good reason to do so." Lin said.

Back at the town of Chin, they spoke to the mayor.

"We've prepared a solid defense for the Avatar. We did an investigation and found some very strong evidence." Katara said.

"Evidence? That's not how our court system works." Tong said.

"Then how do I prove my innocence?" Aang asked.

"Simple. I say what happened and then you say what happened and then I decide who's right. That's why they call it justice. Because it's 'just us.'" Tong said, who walked away, laughing.

Lin begins to sharpen her knives and the edges of her cables.

"He'll be the first one who dies. After that, we get Aang out, and you guys run. I'll take care of business here, and we'll meet at the town of Gaoling." Lin said.

"No. We're going to do this by their way." Katara said.

"Katara, this won't be a fucking trial! It'll be a show-trial. A façade!" Lin exclaims.

"You'd rather break Aang out of prison and massacre everyone in the town?!" Katara exclaims.

"It's the only way that'll work. We can make it look like the fire nation came here and killed everyone." Lin said.

"You're insane. I don't know what Aang sees in you!" Katara exclaims.

A dead silence fills the room.

"Well I know when to call it quits. If we go thru with this, Aang is dead." Lin said. Apparently, Lin did not remember the story of Aang and the town of Chin. She always assumed he broke out of prison and led the fire nation troops away from the village.

"Can you guys tell me the evidence?" Aang asked, wanting to be prepared for his trial.

"Your psychotic 'girlfriend' can tell you all you need to know." Katara spat, leaving the room.

"What was that remark about?" Aang asked.

"I may have told her how we escaped the cave of two lovers. But that's beside the point. Here's what you need to know." Lin said, and told Aang all the intel she found.

In the courtyard, Aang and Tong faced each other.

"Everyone loved Chin the Great because he was so great. Then the Avatar showed up and killed him! And that's how it happened." Tong said.

"The accused will now present its argument." The plaintiff said, in a deep monotone voice.

"Come on. Remember the evidence." Sokka said, having heard what Lin told Aang.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm about to tell you what really happened. First, the footprints. Kyoshi had large footprints, the one in the temple is way too small. And the temple itself is too small for Kyoshi to fully stand in. And the rock at the cliff is only 400 years old." Aang said.

Lin face-palmed herself.

 _It was suffering whether damage for 400 years! The rock itself is much older than that!_ Lin frantically thought, as she began to calculate how to break Aang out.

After an hour of deliberation, they were back to business.

"Mayor Tong, we'd like to provide one last bit of evidence." Katara said.

"I've already told you! It's just me and the accused. You can't call any witnesses." Tong said.

"This isn't any witness. I call, Avatar Kyoshi!" Katara exclaimed.

Aang was wearing Kyoshi's garb, completed with her head paint and fans.

"What are you doing?" Sokka asked.

"She is Aang's past life. Maybe wearing her stuff will trigger something." Katara said.

"It won't work." Lin said.

"This is a mockery of Chin law!" Tong said.

"Yeah. Because your laws are so full of truth, justice, and all those lovely things that are inscribed on courtroom doors." Lin said, with a cynical edge so hard, you would have to cut it with a knife.

"Hey, everyone. Avatar Kyoshi here." Aang said, in a high pitched voice.

"This is ridiculous. For the murder of Chin the great, this court finds the Avatar…" Tong said, when something happened.

A whirlwind appeared around Aang, and when the dust settled, Avatar Kyoshi herself appeared.

"I killed Chin the conqueror. A horrible tyrant, Chin was expanding his army to conquer all corners of the continent. When they came to the neck of the peninsula where we lived, he demanded our immediate surrender. I warned him that I would not sit passively and while he took our home, but he did not back down. On that day, we split from the mainland. I created Kyoshi Island so my people could be safe from invaders." Kyoshi said.

She disappeared, and Aang was standing in her wake. Almost falling, Katara holds him upright.

"What happened?" Aang asked.

"You confessed." Katara said.

"And I find you guilty! Bring out the wheel of punishment!" Tong said.

The wheel of punishment was brought forth, and Aang looked at it.

"I said I would face justice, so I will." Aang said.

"Torture machine!" a spectator shouted.

"Eaten by bears!"

"Razor pit!"

"Community service! Please land on community service." Katara said.

The wheel stops at boiled in oil.

"I've had enough." Lin mutters, and walks over to the mayor, with the intent of killing him when a lit firebomb explodes in the courtyard.

"This town belongs to the fire nation now! Bring us your leader, so I may…dethrone him." Colonel Mongke said, as the head of Chin the great was cut off.

"Never thought I'd be happy to see fire nation troops." Lin said, earning a look from her friends.

"Me too." Aang said.

"You, avatar! Do something!" Tong says.

"Gee, I'd love too. But I'm supposed to be boiled in oil." Aang calmly says, with much sarcasm.

Tong moves the wheel so the dial points to community service.

"There! "Community service." Now serve our community and get rid of those rhinos!" Tong says.

Smiling, Aang runs forward, discarding the Kyoshi garb, save the warpaint. He attacks a rhino with a blast of airbending and sends the rider flying towards a house.

"To the town!" Colonel Mongke said.

The rough riders began to destroy the town with fire and explosives, but the gang began to stop them, in a house to house fight.

Lin rounds a corner, and sees a rhino approaching her. The rider swings his scythe to take her head off, but Lin raises her arm blades and severs the tip off. The rider looks at his broken weapon, and charges Lin, only for Lin to stop the rhino with her earth-bending, knocking it, and the rider out.

Sokka faces a fire nation archer, who fires his arrows at him. Sokka quickly ducks, and the arrows fly into a sack by a masked fire nation soldier. Sokka ducks as the bag explodes, having been filled with explosives.

The fire archer readies another shot, but his saddle is suddenly torn by metal cables. The cables slap the rhino, and the animal hoofs away, dragging the archer with it.

"Thanks!" Sokka said to Lin.

"Don't mention it." Lin replied.

Aang faces off against the leader, and the Colonel charges Aang, shooting fireballs at him.

Aang runs at him as well, dodging his attacks and retaliating with his airbending.

Mongke chases Aang on his rhino, but Aang again attacks him, riding on his air scooter. Going under the animal, and faces his enemy at the end of the street. Running at each other, Aang jumps into the air and kicks the Colonel off his rhino, sending him into a nearby building.

The rough rhino's retreat from the town, having lost the fight. That night, a celebration is held.

"From now on, we'll celebrate a new avatar day in honor of the day Avatar Aang saved us from the rough rhino invasion." Tong said.

Each of them held a bowl, and looked into it.

"What's this?" Sokka asked.

"That's our new festival food: unfried dough. May we eat it and be reminded of how on this day the Avatar was _not_ boiled in oil." Tong said.

"Happy avatar day, everyone." Katara said, half-heartedly.

Eating their dough, Sokka makes a remark.

"This is by far the worst town we've ever been too." Sokka said.


	24. Chapter 24 the blind bandit

Ch 24 The blind bandit

"It's pricey, but I really like it." Sokka said.

Sokka was looking at a green bag with a shoulde strap.

"You should get it. You deserve something nice." Katara said.

"Yeah. I do." Sokka said, and bought it.

As they loitered about, someone came to Aang and talked to him.

"You kids like earthbending? You like throwing rocks? Then check out master Yu's earthbending academy." The man said, handing Aang a flyer.

"There's a coupon on the back. The first lesson is free." Aang said.

"Hello, I'm your earthbending teacher." Lin said.

"Yeah, but I just want to give this a quit shot. See what happens." Aang said.

They waited outside the dojo, and Aang came out. Feeling earth inside his head, Lin carefully pulled the rocks out.

"Yeah, he's not the one." Aang said.

Two boys exited the gate and talked aloud.

"I think The Boulder is gonna win back the belt at Earth Rumble 6." The first one said.

"He's gonna have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to have a shot at the champ." The second one said.

"Excuse me." Aang said, running to them. "Where is this tournament?"

"It's on the Island of Noneoya - none o' ya business!" the first boy said.

The two laughed and walked away.

"I'll take care of this." Lin said, and walked after them.

The group waited for a few seconds, and heard ear-shattering screams.

"What's going on?" Katara asked.

"I'd rather not know." Sokka said.

Lin came back, calm as if nothing happened.

"We're going to earth rumble 6." Lin said.

"How'd you get them to tell you?" Sokka asked.

Lin had a coy smile when she responded.

"I have my ways."

"Which are..." Aang started.

"A swift kick to the genitals will get anyone to open up." Lin said.

Sokka involuntary covered his groin, feeling their pain.

That night, they walked inside the stadium and sat on the front row.

"I wonder why these seats aren't taken." Aang said.

A large boulder immediately slams right next to Sokka.

"I guess that's why." Sokka said.

The host appears in the middle of the ring and starts his announcement.

"Welcome to Earth Rumble 6! I am your host, Xin Fu!" he shouts to the crowed.

As everyone cheers, Katara adopts a bored pose.

"This is just gonna be a bunch of guys tossing rocks at each other, isn't it?" Katara asked.

"That's what I paid for." Sokka said.

"The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring, and you win." Xin Fu said.

The first round was the boulder vs the hippo. The boulder spoke in the 3rd person point of view, which struck Lin as odd.

"Why would anyone in their right mind speak in the 3rd person point of view?" Lin muttered.

The boulder earthbends a boulder at his opponent, who catches it in part of his mouth, crushes it, and spits it out. The hippo jumps up and down, and combining his weight with earthbending, caused the arena to shake. The boulder wobbles and is on the verge of losing his balance.

"Unbelievable, ladies and gentlemen! The Hippo is rocking The Boulder!" Xin Fu said.

The boulder is on the verge of falling off the arena, but retaliates with a sheet of rock he pulls from outside the arena and throws it at the hippo.

The boulder, with tremendous effort, earthbends the hippo out of the arena and wins the round.

"The boulder wins!" Xin Fu said.

"How about the boulder? He's got some good moves." Katara said.

"I don't know. Bumi said I need a teacher who listens to the earth. He's just listening to his big muscles. What do you think, Sokka?" Aang asked.

Sokka just hollered like a crazed fan.

The boulder fought more and more opponents, each one bringing a different challenge to the boulder. But the boulder crushed all opposition.

"Now, the moment you've all been waiting for. The Boulder vs your champion! The blind bandit!" Xin Fu yells, amidst the screams and cheers of the crowd. Everyone starts to chant 'bandit' over and over.

A young 12-year-old girl walks in, wearing a green and white earthbending uniform, and a green and black headband. Arms raised high, she holds the championship belt.

"Mom." Lin says, and pulls Aang closer.

"That's my mother, Toph Beifong." She says.

"How are you feeling?" Aang asked.

"Antsy. Pay attention to the round." Lin said.

"She can't really be blind. It's just part of her character, right?" Katara asked.

"I think she is." Aang said.

"She is blind." Lin also said, at the same time.

"I think she is, going down!" Sokka shouted.

"The boulder, feels conflicted about fighting a little girl." The boulder said.

"Sounds like you're scared, Boulder." Toph said.

"The boulder is over his conflicted feelings, and now he's ready to bury you, in a rock-a-lanche!"

"Whenever you're ready, the pebble." Toph says, and laughs.

"It's on." The pebble said.

The boulder raises his foot to stomp on the earth in an earthbending move. Toph reads it with her active seismic sense. Quicker than the boulder, or the spectators can blink, Toph counters with a trail of earthbending that heads towards the boulder's feet.

The boulder puts his foot down on the active shockwave of earth, and is pulled into a perfect split.

"That's got to hurt." Aang said.

Lin leaned over to Aang, and whispered into his hear. Aang blushes after that.

Toph then earthbends three stalagmites from the arena floor and jettisons the boulder out of the stand, maintaining her championship.

"Your winner, and still the champion, the blind bandit!" Xin Fu announces.

"No!" Sokka screams, hysterical.

"How did she do that?" Katara asked.

"She waited, and listened." Aang said, realizing that she was the person he had to meet.

"To make things a little more interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat The Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu says.

No-one takes up his offer.

"What No one dares to face her?"

"I will." Aang said, walking onto the ring.

"Do people really want to see two girls fighting?" Toph asked.

"I don't want to fight you. I want to talk to you." Aang said.

"Boo! No talking!" Sokka shouts.

Katara slaps her brother.

"Don't boo at him." She says.

"Calm down, sugar queen. We'll be fighting the fire nation before we know it. Let him enjoy it." Lin said, watching her mom and Aang stand on the ring.

Toph earthbends the ground under Aang's feet, launching him into the air. Aang gently settles on the ground, his airbending being an advantage.

"Someone's a little light on his feet. What's your fighting name? the fancy dancer?" Toph mocked.

Another rock erupts from the ground and launches Aang in the air. Once again, Aang softly lands on his feet.

"Please, wait!" Aang said.

"There you are!" Toph said, and fired a boulder at him.

Adopting the basic earthbending stance Lin taught him, Aang retaliates with his airbending, sending the rock, and Toph out of the ring.

Everyone looks in shock, then cheers on their new champion.

Aang runs off the arena to see Toph walking way.

"Please listen! I need an earthbending teacher, and I think it's supposed to be you." Aang said.

"Whoever you are, just leave me alone." Toph said, sour that she lost.

Next morning, Lin pulled the group aside and told them about the blind bandit.

"Guys, I know where the blind bandit lives." Lin said.

"Where?" Sokka asked.

"Not yet. She's my mother. Toph Beifong." Lin said.

"Your mother?" Katara asked.

"Yes." Lin said.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Sokka asked.

"I won't tell you guys anything I know unless I deem it relevant. Right now, knowing the blind bandit is very relevant." Lin said.

"So lets go see her." Aang said.

"Considering you beat her at the match, I doubt she'll be happy to see you." Lin said.

Notwithstanding Lin's warning, they headed to the estate.

"That's the flying boar from my vision." Aang said.

Climbing over the wall, they run across the lawn and spy from a bush. Lin counts down from three, and everyone is launched into the air.

Sokka lands on the ground, Aang and Katara into some bushes, and Lin lands on her feet.

"What are you doing here, twinkle toes?" Toph asked.

"How'd you know it was me?" Aang asked.

"Don't answer to twinkle toes. It's not manly." Sokka said.

"You're the one who's bag matches his belt." Katara pointed out.

"How did you find me?" Toph asked.

"Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and..." Aang started.

"What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar, and if he doesn't master earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord." Katara said.

Toph shoved a hand into Katara's face.

"Not my problem. Now leave, before I call the guards." Toph said, before walking way.

"Look, we all have to do our part to win this war. And yours it to help Lin teach Aang earthbending." Sokka said.

Toph turned around and called for the guards.

"Guards, Guards! Help!"

The gang scatters away from the courtyard.

Aang watches from a nearby roof and comes up with an idea.

"That's your plan? To show up as the avatar?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. You should be excited to see your mom and grandparents." Aang said.

"Aang, from my memory, I just reconciled with my mom a few weeks ago. 74 years in the future to be precise. I spent over 30 years being bitter and resenting my mother. I did not have a healthy relationship with her." Lin said.

"This is your chance to make things right. I don't know how, but you'll figure something out." Aang said.

Lin growls in displeasure.

Walking inside the Beifong estate, Lin quickly notices how similar she looks to her grandmother. Both woman look at each other, but Lin quickly breaks off eye contact and sits down next to Aang.

"Avatar Aang, it's an honor to have you with us." Poppy Beifong said.

"In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?" Lao asked.

"I'd like to defeat the fire lord by the end of the summer, but I can't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first." Aang said, looking at Toph.

"Well, master Yu is the finest in the land. He's been teaching Toph since she was little." Lao said.

"Then she must be a great earthbender, probably good enough to teach someone else." Aang said.

Toph sent a small shockwave of earth at Aang's feet. He yelps in pain.

"Toph is still learning the basics." Yu said.

"Yes, and sadly because of her blindness, I don't think she'll ever become a true master." Lao said.

The kids look at each other, and Aang responds. Lin tries not to scowl at her grandparents.

"Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is." Aang said.

 _You idiot. Don't push your luck._ Lin thought, but the two weren't telepathic.

Toph sends another shock wave that knocks his chair against the table, and Aang's face goes into his soup.

Lin finishes her meal and starts on her drink, when Aang retaliates with a sneeze that sends food all over the place.

"Nice one, twinkle toes." Lin jested.

Both Toph and Aang stand up, and Lin quickly unsheathes her arm blades incase a fight broke out.

"What's your problem?" Toph asked.

"What's your problem?" Aang retorted.

Yu and Poppy wipe themselves clean.

"Well, shall we move to the living room for desert?" Poppy says, hoping to defuse the tense situation.

Luckily, everyone heads into the living room.

Lin stands against the wall, and observe their interactions.  
Toph walks into the room, and Aang quickly turns to face her, adopting an airbending stance.

"Sorry about dinner. How about we call a truce?" Toph asked.

Aang lowers his stance and follows Toph outside.

"Even though I was born blind, I've never had a problem seeing." Toph said, as she and Aang walked outside.

"I see with earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I can feel the vibrations in the earth, and I can see where everything is. You, that tree, even those ants." Toph said.

Aang looks on the ground, but fails to see the ants Toph is talking about.

"That's amazing." He says.

"My parents don't understand. They've always treated me like I'm helpless." Toph said.

"Is that why you became the blind bandit?" Aang asked.

"Yes." Toph said.

"Then why stay here?" Aang asked.

"Where am I supposed to go?" Toph asked.

"You can come with us." Aang offered.

"Yeah. You guys get to go wherever you want. No one telling you what to do, that's the life. It's just not my life. Besides, why do you need me to teach you? That older woman wearing the armor can teach you. She's an earthbender." Toph said.

"Lin? She's great, but I think you should be my teacher." Aang said.

"Your heart is beating real fast. And it's just starting now." Toph pointed out. Then she realized something, and decided to mess with Aang's head.

"You like her, don't you?" Toph asked, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Yeah, she's my friend." Aang said.

"No, as in, she's your girlfriend." Toph playfully said.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Aang said, a little too loud.

Inside the house, Lin heard.

"I'm going to murder him." Lin muttered.

"Afraid not. You're about to have a heart attack." Toph said, then noticed something.

"We're being ambushed!" She said. Grabbing Aang's arm, she ran into a certain direction.

The gopher contestant appears in front of them, and faces Toph and Aang.

Toph and Aang are quickly captured by metal cases that encase them from above.

"I believe you owe me some money." Xin Fu said, approaching them.

Hearing the commotion, everyone goes outside, and sees two large craters, and a sword with a piece of paper attached to the blade.

"Whoever took Aang and Toph left this." Sokka said, lifting the sword and Katara took the note off.

"If you want to see your daughter again, bring 500 gold pieces to the arena. It's signed Xin Fu and the boulder." Katara said.

"I can't believe it." Sokka said, taking the note.

"I got the boulder's autograph!" Sokka shouts, holding the note in front of him.

"Poor Toph. She must be so scared." Poppy said, kneeling at the imprints from the metal cages.

Inside the arena, Toph and Aang were held high in their metal cages.

"You think you're so tough? Why don't you come up here so I can smack that grin off your face?" Toph asked.

"I'm not smiling." Xin Fu said.

"Toph!" Lao shouts, catching their attention.

"Here's your money. Now let them go." Sokka said.

Yu kicks the bag over with earthbending. Xin Fu looks at the money, and motions for Toph to be set free.

Toph meets with her father and Yu, and start to leave.

"What about Aang?" Katara asked.

"I think the fire nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar. Now get out of my ring." Xin Fu said, as all the opponents the group saw in the match appeared.

"Get Toph." Lin said, as she stared down her opponents.

Katara and Sokka caught up with Toph and pleaded for her to fight.

"Toph, there's too many of them. We need an earthbender. We need you!" Katara says.

"My daughter is blind. She is blind and tiny and helpless and fragile. She can't help you." Lao angrily says.

"Yes. Yes I can." Toph said, yanking her hand out of her father's hand.

Toph walks onto the ring and blocks her opponent's way of leaving.

"Let him go. I beat you all before, and I'll do it again." Toph says.

"The boulder, takes issue with that comment." The boulder says.

The hippo throws Aang's cage across the arena floor, landing in front of Lin and her friends.

Lin rips the cage open with her metalbending, and watches as Toph stands against her enemies.

"They're mine." Toph said.

Toph raises her hands, and an explosion of rock and dust appear, blinding her attackers. Toph has no such problem, and starts to lay waste to her enemies.

First opponent was the fire nation man, who walks thru the dust, trying to see Toph. Toph appears, and the fire nation opponent fires a stream of earth at her.

Toph dodges the attack, and retaliates. A series of rocks burst from the floor rapidly approaching her opponent. The fire nation man is dumped off the ring. Next is the green masked man, but Toph quickly kicks him out of the ring.

The gopher man erupts from the floor behind Toph and throws at rock at Toph's neck. Toph catches it, and quickly throws it back at the gopher man with enough force to knock him out of the ring.

The Hippo and the boulder face Toph. Toph moves the stone circle they're on in a direction, and another attacker crashes into the Hippo and the boulder.

Toph ejects the three opponents off the ring to join their defeated comrades below.

Toph removes the cloud of dust, and faces the last one, Xin Fu. Xin Fu fires many boulders at Toph, who retaliates by bringing up two triangular sheets of rock as a shield. When the barrage passes, Toph fires the right shield at Xin Fu.

Xin Fu doges it, and digs his hand into the dirt and throws the dirt at Toph. Toph sidesteps the attack and returns fire. Xin Fu is knocked out of the arena, leaving Toph the winner of the round.

"Yep, she's my mom." Lin says, proud of her mother.

"You must be proud." Aang said.

"I am." Lin said.

At the Beifong estate, Toph speaks to her parents.

" Dad, I know it's hard for you to see me this way, but the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earthbender. And I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me. But I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend. So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me." Toph said.

"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something." Lao said.

"It has?" Toph asked.

"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on, you will be cared for and guarded 24 hours a day." Lao said.

"But dad!" Toph pleaded.

"We're doing this for your own good, Toph." Poppy said.

Lin stand up and approaches her grandfather, grabbing him by the neck.

"You son of a bitch! You saw her take out all those earthbenders. She's the perfect teacher for the avatar!" Lin says.

"Lin, don't." Aang says.

Looking at Aang, Lin walks away and leaves the room.

"Please escort the Avatar and his friends out. They are no longer welcome here." Lao said.

"I'm sorry, Toph." Aang said.

"I'm sorry too. Goodby, Aang." Toph said, before shedding a tear.

Outside the estate, they prepare to board Appa and leave.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Katara said.

"Lin, I thought she'd be my teacher." Aang said, almost in tears.

Lin looks at the estate and notices Toph approaching.

"Looks like she will be." Lin said, smiling.

"Toph! What are you doing here?" Aang asked.

"My dad changed his mind. He said I can travel the world." Toph said.

Lin smirks, knowing Toph lied to her friends.

"Well, we better get out of here before your dad changes his mind." Sokka said.

"Good idea." Toph said.

"You and Lin are going to be great teachers, Toph." Aang said.

"Speaking of which, I want to show you something." Toph slyly said.

"Okay." Aang says, jumping out of the saddle.

Once Aang touches the ground, Toph launches him upward into the trees.

"Now we're even." Toph says.

"I'll take the belt back." She says.

Sokka tosses the belt onto Toph's head.

"Sorry." Sokka says.

Leaving the estate with their new friend, Toph sleeps, content with her life.

"One question. How are we going to do this?" Aang asked.

"Do what?" Lin asked.

"You and Toph teaching me." Aang said.

"We'll figure something out, twinkle toes." Lin said, the nickname in a kind jest.

"What's the nickname for Sokka?" Aang asked.

"Meathead." Lin said.

Aang had to cover his mouth to avoid laughing too loud.

"So, you going to tell her who you really are?" Aang asked.

"Never." Lin says.


	25. Chapter 25 the chase

Ch 25 the chase

Landing on the ground, everyone jumped off of Appa.

"Great spot for a campsite. The ground is so soft." Toph said.

"That's not grass. Appa is shedding." Sokka pointed out.

"Ew, gross." Katara said.

"That's not gross. It's just part of spring. You know, rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat!" Aang said.

"It's not that bad, Katara. It makes a great whig!" Sokka said, showing Katara the large amount of hair on his head, in a tall pillar.

"And it makes a great beard." Aang said, pilling the hair on his face.

"I thought that stuff was itchy." Lin said.

"Oh, right." Aang said, who then started to scratch his skin.

"I'm just glad we finally have another girl in the group because you two are disgusting." Katara said, unamused.

"Does anyone have a razor, because I have some hary pits." Toph said, raising her arms; showing the fur emerging from both her sleeves, under her arms.

Lin faceplamed herself, not believing that her mother was like that.

That night, everyone helped set up camp, except Toph. She was laying against a rock, hand on her bag.

"So, Toph, when setting up camp, we try to divide the work." Katara said.

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm good to go." Toph said.

"Well, actually, what I'm trying to say is, uh, some of us might fetch water while someone else might set up the fire pit or put up the tent. Even Momo does his fair share." Katara said, as Momo dropped some nuts into her hands.

"Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire, I've already collected my own food, and look, my tent's all set up." Toph said, setting up her tent via earthbending.

Annoyed, Katara continued.

"Well that's great, but we still need to finish…"

"I don't understand. What's the problem here?" Toph asked.

"Never mind." Katara said, and walked away.

Lin pulled Katara aside.

"Give her a few days. She'll come around." Lin said.

"You think so?" Katara asked.

"I know. She's stubborn, but she does care about her friends. About us." Lin said.

"Doesn't look like it." Katara said.

"Katara, she's been cooped up in the house for 12 years. She wants unhinged freedom right now. Coming from my experience and memories, she'll turn around. Just give her a couple of days." Lin said.

Katara sighed in trepidation.

"Okay. I trust you." Katara said.

"Good. Lets get some rest."

As they were sleeping, Toph woke everyone up.

"Something's coming!" She says.

"I see it too." Lin said, using her seismic sense.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"It's an avalanche, but also not an avalanche." Toph said.

"Your powers of perception are frightening." Sokka said.

"Should we leave?" Katara asked.

"Better safe than sorry." Aang replied.

Leaving on Appa, they turned around and saw black some approaching them.

"What is that thing?" Katara asked.

Aang flies Appa farther until they land on a hill. Upon touchdown, Toph jumps off and walks away.

"Well, see you guys in the morning." Toph said.

"Actually, can you help us unload?" Katara asked.

"Really? You need me to help unload Sokka's funky smelling sleeping bag?" Toph asked.

Sokka sniffed his sleeping bag, and fell backwards, passing out from the smell.

"Yes. That and everything else. You're part of our team now, and…" Katara started.

"Look, I didn't ask you to help unload _my_ stuff. I'm carrying my own weight." Toph said.

Lin snorted in disgust.

"That's not the point." Katara said, approaching Toph.

"Ever since you joined us, you've been unhelpful and selfish." Katara said.

"What? Look here, sugar queen. I gave up everything I had so that I could teach Aang earthbending, so don't you talk to me about being selfish!" Toph said.

Toph sat on the ground, and earthbent a tent around her.

"You're the second person to call me sugar queen!" Katara said, when Toph fully encloses the tent, locking Katara out.

"Whoever's the first one, must have good reason." Toph countered.

Katara moved erratically around the tent, hitting it with her knees and elbows.

"Should we do something?" Aang asked.

"Hey, I'm just enjoying the show." Sokka said.

"Okay, okay, you both need to calm down." Aang said to Katara.

"Both? I'M COMPLETELY CALM!" Katara shouted, turning to Aang, showing a very hysterical face.

"I can see that." Aang said, and quickly walked away.

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph were in their sleeping bags, watching the stars.

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight." Katara said.

"Shut up, Katara." Lin growled, trying to sleep.

"Too bad you can't see them, Toph." Katara jested.

Toph responded by earthbending Katara upwards to land on Sokka.

"How's a guy supposed to sleep with all this yelling and earthquaking!" Sokka exclaimed.

"That thing is back!" Toph said, walking towards the group.

"How far away is it? Maybe we can close our eyes for just a few minutes." Sokka said.

Lin looked upwards to see the black smoke, way to close for comfort.

"I don't think so, Sokka." Aang said.

Once again, they were forced to flee on Appa.

"What is that thing?" Katara asked.

"And how does it keep finding us?" Toph asked.

"I don't know. But I'm going to make sure we completely loose them." Aang said.

Appa flew fast and far, eventually landing on a circular plateau. Upon landing, he dumps his company on the ground.

"Okay, forget about setting up camp. I'm finding the softest part of dirt, and going to sleep." Sokka said.

"That's good, because Toph wasn't going to help anyway." Katara spat.

"Oh, I didn't realize that baby still needed someone to tuck her into bed." Toph said.

"Come on, guys. Something is after us, and we don't know what or who it is." Aang said.

"Could be Zuko. We haven't seen him since the north pole." Katara said.

"Who's Zuko?" Toph asked.

"Some angry freak with a pony tail who's tracked us all over the world." Sokka said.

"What's wrong with pony tails, pony tail?" Katara jokingly asked.

"This is a warriors wolf tail." Sokka defended.

"That's a pony tail." Lin said, cuddling with Aang.

Momo continues to chirp, signaling the group of their unknown purser.

"That's impossible. There's no way they could have tracked us." Aang said.

"I can feel it with my own two feet!" Toph said.

"Lets get out of here." Katara said.

"Maybe we should face them. Find out who they are. Who knows, maybe they're friendly." Aang said.

"You'll bet your own life on it?" Lin bitingly asked, assuming a combat stance, waiting for their pursuers.

The train stopped, and three giant lizards come out of the train.

"It's those three girls from Omashu." Katara said.

"We can take them. 4 on three." Toph said.

"Actually, Toph, there's 5 of us." Sokka said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't count you Sokka, you know, no bending and all." Toph said.

"I can still fight!" Sokka furiously said.

"Okay. Three on four, plus Sokka." Toph said.

Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula move up the hill on their lizards when Toph uses earthbending against them. A large rumble of earth descends from their position, blasting earth everywhere. The lizards simply avoid them and continue, unimpeded.

"Well, we wanted to see who they were. We found out. Now lets get out of here." Sokka said.

Everyone left, except Toph and Lin.

Toph raised a large wall of earth, and Lin turned the ground under the lizard into thick sand, completely immobilizing the lizards.

That didn't matter, though. As they made their escape, Azula shot a bolt of lightning and blew a hole in the wall made by Toph.

"I can't believe those girls followed us all the way from Omashu." Katara said.

"I still think we could have taken them." Toph said.

"Are you crazy? The crazy blue firebending and the flying daggers are bad enough. I'd rather not know what the third girl can do." Katara said.

"She's a chi-blocker." Lin said.

"How'd you know?" Katara asked.

"Just guessing." Lin lied.

"Spirits, that's scary." Katara said.

"Not as bad as you think. Yes, your bending is gone, but only for a few hours. There's a unique side effect, though. The part of your body that's been impacted by the attack becomes more flexible beyond your imagination. Hey, Aang, maybe that's what the monks did to you in your training." Lin teased.

"What are you talking about?" Toph asked.

"The two have yoga practice whenever they can." Sokka said.

"Hmm. Must get real personal." Toph casually said, causing Lin and Aang to lightly blush.

"Only a bit." Aang said.

"Only a bit? It's more like a grope-fest then a yoga session." Katara said, exaggerating.

"Wow. Hey, Aang, I'm interested in a 'session' with you and Lin." Toph jokingly said.

"No." Lin quickly said, not wanting that image in her head right now.

"Just saying." Toph said.

The run rose, and everyone saw it.

"Oh no, the sun is rising! We've been up all night with no sleep." Sokka said.

"Sokka, we'll be okay." Aang said.

"Are you sure!? I've never not slept before! What if I fall asleep now and something happens? And something _always_ happens!" Sokka says.

"He's right. Something does happen." Lin said, rapidly blinking her eyes to stay wake.

"Every time we land, those girls are there, so we just keep on flying." Katara said.

"We can't keep flying forever." Aang said.

After 30 minutes, everyone was exhausted to even think of a plan. They nodded off to try and get some sleep, only for disaster to strike.

"What's going on!" Toph yelled, as she found herself grabbing the saddle for dear life, falling towards the ground very fast.

"Appa fell asleep!" Aang shouted.

"Not good!" Lin replied, using her cables to hold onto the saddle.

Aang crawled to the front of Appa's head, grabbed one of the eyelids, and let it slap the eyeball, waking Appa up.

Appa flies into a forest of trees, then crashes onto the ground, leaving a trench behind him.

Lin jumps off the saddle and collapses on the ground, falling dead asleep. When she woke up, she noticed Toph was gone.

"Where's Toph?" Lin asked.

"She's gone." Aang said, grabbing a chunk of shedding hair from Appa.

"She'll come back." Lin said.

"What makes you so sure?" Aang asked.

"Because I'm still live." Lin said.

They force-shed the hair off of Appa, and Aang grabbed some and put it in a bag.

"You sure Appa's okay to fly?" Katara asked.

"He'll be fine as long as we leave his saddle and all our stuff here. I'm going to use Appa's fur to make a fake trail and lead the tank off course." Aang said.

Climbing on Appa, Lin found it hard to hold onto the bison, having nothing solid to hold onto. If Appa suddenly moved, they would go flying off the bison.

"Toph couldn't have made it too far." Sokka said, as they looked over the ground, searching for their friend.

Momo began to screech, alerting the group.

"Oh shit!" Lin shouts, as they see Mai and Ty Lee approaching them on their giant lizards.

"How the hell did they find us?" Katara asked.

"Appa, we need to go faster!" Sokka shouted.

"He's too tired!" Katara said.

"Not good, not good!" Sokka exclaimed.

Mai threw her stilettos at Sokka, who dodged them.

"We just need to make if across the river!" Sokka says.

Appa plows thru the river and across the ground, falling asleep again.

"We made it!" Sokka says, hugging his sister.

"No, we didn't." Lin says, as their pursuers crossed the river on their giant lizards.

Katara attacks with waterbending, and kills Ty Lee's lizard, but the acrobat quickly jumps off the lizard and heads for Katara.

As the two fight, Mai throws her knives at Katara, but Lin grabs the knives with her metalbending and throws them back at Mai, who quickly dodges it.

Sokka approaches from behind Mai and knocks her out with his club.

"Where's Katara?" Sokka asked.

Katara was busy trying to keep Ty Lee away from her, using short and quick water bending jabs and strikes, but Ty Lee was still closing on Katara.

"Hey!" Lin shouts, catching their attention. Ty Lee faces Lin, who has her armblades extended.

Ty Lee quickly runs forward to attack and jumps upwards to attack from above.

Lin dodges the strike and raises her arms to defend as Ty Lee moves close to use her chi-blocking attacks.

Little did Ty Lee know, Lin had plenty of experience with chi-blockers and expertly dodges her attacks.

Ty Lee performs a high kick against Lin's head, but Lin simply backbends away. The acrobat watches in surprise, seeing the much older woman nimbly move like she would.

Standing up from the backbend, Lin fires her cables at Ty Lee and throws her against a tree trunk, knocking her out.

"And stay down, you bitch." Lin mutters.

Getting on Appa, they headed to follow the fur trail left by Aang and found the trail ending at an abandoned town.

"Follow me." Lin said.

Lin follows her siesmisc sense and enters a building, seeing Aang pinned by some rubble, and seeing Azula about to strike him with her firebending.

Lin fires her cable at Azula and prevents her from killing Aang. She then fires another cable that breaks Aang free from the rubble.

Turning on her attacker, Azula throws a blast of fire at Lin, forcing her to run. Lin runs, and lets Azula get ambushed by Sokka, almost losing her head.

With Azula outgunned, she starts to retreat from her enemies, only for Toph to attack from behind, shaking the ground under Azula's feet.

"Thought you guys could use some help." Toph said.

"Thanks." Katara said.

Azula gets up and runs, shooting blue fire at them. As she runs thru an alley, Iroh hits her head on with his belly, knocking Azula off course. She is cornered by her enemies, and has nowhere left to go.

"Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done. I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor." Azula says, raising her hands.

Iroh looks at Toph, then notices Aang.

 _She's with the Avatar?_

Azula takes note, and fires a bolt of blue fire at Iroh, striking him in the chest.

Zuko screams in shock, and everyone attacks with their bending. Even Sokka throws his boomerang at Azula.

Azula creates a shield with her fire, and the combined energy causes a large explosion, sending ashes and embers all over the town.

Everyone notices Zuko kneeling next to Iroh.

"Get away from us!" Zuko shouts.

"Zuko, I can help." Katara says, offering her help.

"Leave!" Zuko screams, throwing a wave of fire over their heads.

As night fell, they land on a mountain side and get the well-deserved sleep.


	26. Chapter 26 bitter work

Ch 26 bitter work

"Good morning, earthbending student." Toph said, as she exploded her own tent.

"Good morning, Sifu Toph." Aang said.

"How come you never call me Sifu Katara?" Katar asked, waking up.

"Well, if you want me to." Aang said.

"Here's the deal. Toph will teach you today, and I'll teach you tomorrow. We'll take turns every other day." Lin said.

"Why can't you both teach me at the same time?" Aang asked.

"Because we have different techniques of earth-bending." Lin said.

"Okay. So what move are you going to teach me first? Rockalanche? The trembler? Oh! Maybe I can learn to make a whirlpool out of land!" Aang said.

"I didn't get you past the basics. You're going to pull off some fancy techniqes out of your ass." Lin said.

"She's right. Lets start with move a rock." Toph said.

Toph, Aang, and Lin were standing in front of a boulder, as Katara watches from a rock outcropping nearby.

"The key to earthbending is your stance. What has Lin taught you?" Toph asked.

"I have to be firm like a rock." Aang said, assuming an earthbending stance.

"Good. Now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple." Toph said.

Toph lunged forward and punches. The boulder shoots forward, hitting the canyon.

"Your turn." Toph said.

Eyes narrowing, Aang copies the same move, but is sent flying backwards into Appa, landing on his face.

"He's still thinking like an airbender." Lin said.

"He'll have to get rid of that if he wants to learn." Toph said.

"I don't understand what went wrong. He did the same move like you did." Katara said.

"Maybe if I approach it at a different angle." Aang said.

"No, that's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an airbender. There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock. You've got to face it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this!" Toph exclaimed, and demonstrated by jumping head first into the boulder, destroying it completely.

 _No wonder I turned out the way I did. My mom killed her brain cells doing this shit._ Lin thought.

"I've been training Aang for a while now. He really responds well to a positive teaching experience. Lots of encouragement and praise. Kind words. If he's doing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction." Katara said to Toph.

"Thanks, Katara. A gentle nudge. I'll try that." Toph said.

"Keep your knees high, twinkle toes!" Toph shouts, as Aang moves forward, struggling to carry a large boulder on his back. Losing his balance, Aang falls to his side, and dumps the boulder.

Next, Toph and Aang practiced their hand strength. Toph easily shoves her hands into a rock, as if it were sand. Aang tries the same thing, but only hurts his hand in the process.

Toph stole Sokka's club and handed it to Aang, who was wearing a blindfold. Toph then creates columns of earth to emerge close to Aang. Aang misses four of them, but hits the 5th one.

In a clearing, Toph raises her arms and two large walls rise on both sides of them. Toph then creates a line in the sand, and encase herself in rock armor. Toph slides forward with her earthbending at Aang. Aang pushes back against Toph and succeeds in pushing her across the line.

Aang is then standing on two tall pillars of earth, tossing a rock in the air and catching it. Toph approaches the pillars and sends tremors thru the structure at Aang.

"Rocklike!" She shouts.

Aang doesn't budge and continues the training.

Toph, Aang, Katara, and Lin were standing in front of a mountain, and noted a boulder at the top of the mountain, ready to roll down at any second.

"This time, we're going to do something different. Instead of moving a rock, you're going to stop it." Toph said.

"I'm going to roll that boulder down to you, and if you have the attitude of an earthbender, you'll stand your ground and stop it, like this." Toph said, demonstrating the move necessary to stop the boulder.

"Toph, are you sure this is the right way to train Aang?" Katara asked.

"Actually, there is a better way." Toph said, and yanked Aang's belt off and used it as a blindfold.

"This way he'll really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Thank you, Katara!" Toph said.

"Yeah, thanks Katara." Aang sarcastically said.

"I don't think you should do this." Lin said.

"Calm down, Lin. You'll have your chance to molest Aang tomorrow." Toph said.

"I won't be able to teach him, if he's dead." Lin dryly said.

Toph paid no attention to Lin's warning and pushed the boulder down the hill.

Aang jumped out of the way, just before the boulder hit him. Upon landing on the ground, Toph approached him, angry.

"I guess I just panicked. I don't know what to say." Aang said.

"There's nothing to say. You blew it. You had a perfect stance and perfect form but when it came right down to it you didn't have the guts." Toph said, pushing Aang to the ground.

"I know, I'm sorry." Aang said.

"Yeah, you are sorry. If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you could at least give it the pleasure of smushing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock like an earthbender?!" Toph asked.

"No. I guess I don't." Aang said, not meeting her gaze.

"You'll have start sooner, rather than later." Lin said.

"Aang, it's no big deal. You'll take a break and try earthbending again when you're ready. Besides, you still have a lot of waterbending to work on, okay?" Katara asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Aang said.

As they walked away, Lin spoke.

"For being prodigy at bending, he sure sucks at earthbending." Lin said.

"What do you mean?" Toph asked.

"He started waterbending as if it was second nature, and also the same with firebending. But earthbending has him completely stumped." Lin said.

"Air and Earth are opposites. He'll have to break thru his airbending mentality and training if he wants to learn earth." Toph said.

"So he'll be starting from ground zero, literally." Lin said.

"Okay. By the way, when did the two of you start yoga practice?" Toph asked, curious.

 _FUCK!_ Lin screamed in her mind, but kept herself calm.

"Started a few months back. Been doing it ever since." Lin said.

"You ever kiss him?" Toph asked.

 _Oh my god! I can't believe my own mother is asking me this question. And she's fucking 12!_

"No." Lin said.

"You suck at lying, you know that? How many times did the two of you swap spit?" Toph asked.

Lin had to conceal her disgust and embarrassment, and she was sure that her mom was picking up on it.

"Only once." Lin said.

Toph raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, a couple of times." Lin said.

"You thought about doing more than kissing with him?" Toph asked, clearly enjoying see Lin squirm.

"No!" Lin all but shouted.

 _I can't believe my mom is embarrassing me like this!_

"You're telling the truth on that one. Wait till Katara hears about all of this." Toph said.

Aang was sitting on a rock, deep in meditation. Toph appears with two items in her hands.

"Aang! I found these nuts in your bag. I figured you wouldn't mind. And besides, even if you did, you're too much of a pushover to do anything about it." Toph said, trying to goad Aang.

"As a matter of fact, I don't mind. I'm happy to share anything I have." Aang said.

"You know, I'm really glad you feel that way, because I also have this great new nutcracker." Toph said, brandishing Aang's staff.

Aang turned around, and saw Toph use the staff to crack some of the nuts open as Aang protested.

"It's a delicate instrument." He said.

"It's not the only delicate instrument around here." Toph mockingly said, as she then walked away, banging the staff against the rocks.

Annoyed, Aang continued to meditate when Katara interrupted him.

"Hey Aang, have you seen..."

"Meditating here!" Aang exclaimed.

"It's important. It's almost sundown and Sokka isn't back yet. I think we should search for him." Katara said.

"We'll be faster if we split up." Aang said.

Aang found Sokka first, as he was buried up to his chin inside a small hole.

"Aang! Thank goodness! Have you any meat?" Sokka asked.

"Sokka, you okay?" Aang asked.

Aang tried to pull Sokka out of the hole, but Sokka objected.

"Stop, stop! You're going to pull my fingers off and I don't think the rest of me is coming!" Sokka said.

"Maybe I can airbend you out of here." Aang said.

Aang attempted to use his airbending, but it did nothing.

"Aang, I know you're knew at this, but I could use some earthbending here. How about it?" Sokka asked.

"I can't. I can't do it." Aang said, forlorn.

"If you can't do it, get Toph, or Lin." Sokka said.

"That would be, uncomfortable." Aang said.

"Uncomfortable? Well, I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." Sokka said.

"Thanks, Sokka." Aang said, sitting down.

"This whole earthbending thing really has me confused. There's so much pressure. Everyone expects me to get it right away. It puts me in a really awkward position." Aang said.

"Awkward position…I think I know the feeling." Sokka said.

"If I try, I fail. But if I don't try, I'm never going to get it. I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place." Aang said.

"How about that." Sokka said, motioning to a mooselion that appeared.

"Aang, this is my friend Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops, Aang." Sokka said.

"Aww, what a cute name for a little baby sabertooth mooselion cub." Aang said, lifting the young animal.

"He looks nothing like a sabertooth mooselion." Sokka said.

"It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in. Whatcha doin' out here, little guy? Did you lose your mama?" Aang asked.

A roaring noise was heard, and the mother appeared. And she was pissed.

"Hey, there... we found your cub!" Aang said, putting the baby cub on the ground, and watches it run towards its mother.

"See? We have no problem with you! We're friendly." Aang said.

The mother stampeded towards the two boys, and Aang uses his airbending to lift the mooselion over them, just missing Sokka's head.

"This is really bad! Please, Aang! You have to earthbend me out, there's no other way!" Sokka frantically said, not wanting to be eaten by a mooselion.

Aang attempts some earthbending moves, but nothing happens. The moosselion charges again. In a move of pure stupidity, Aang jumps onto a rock outcropping away from Sokka and attempts to get the moose lions attention, by dancing.

The mooselion pays no mind, and charges Sokka.

At the last second, Aang jumps to intercept the mooselion and pushes it away with his airbending.

"Please, don't leave me again." Sokka said, terrified.

"I won't." Aang said.

The mooselion makes one final charge, but Aang stops it dead in its tracks, pushing it back with his airbending.

When the dust clears, Aang is still standing. Toph lightly claps, seeing the whole scene.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked.

"Enjoying the show." Toph said.

"What? You were there, the whole time?" Aang asked.

"Pretty much." Toph said.

"Why didn't you do something? Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble! You could've gotten him out and helped us get away!" Aang said, pointing his finger at Toph.

"I guess it didn't occur to me." Toph said.

Toph tossed a nut to the ground, and raised Aang's staff, intent on breaking it open. As she brings it down to crack the nut open, Aang catches it.

"Enough! I want my staff back!" Aang forcefully said.

"Do it now." Toph said.

"Do what?" Aang asked.

"Earthbend, twinkletoes. You just stood your ground against a crazy beast, and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff." Toph said.

"But…" Aang started.

"DO IT!" Toph shouted.

Aang stomps on the ground and pushes his arms forward, causing a large rock to shoot off and crash into a ridge.

"You did it! You're an earthbender." Toph said.

"I can't believe it!" Aang said.

"Awe. This is real great and touching. So, could you get me out of her so I can give you both a big, snuggly hug?" Sokka asked.

"Sure thing, Sokka." Aang said, walking towards Sokka.

"Actually, you should probably let me do that. You're still a little new to this. You might accidentally crush him." Toph said.

"Yes. No crushing, please." Sokka said.

Toph walks up to Sokka, and stomps her foot on the ground. Sokka pops out of the whole and Toph pulls him out by the hair.

Meeting with everyone else, Katara runs to Sokka and hugs him.

"The whole time that I was in that hole, not knowing if I would live or die, it makes a man think about what's really important. I realized..." Sokka started, when Aang cut him off.

"Katara, Lin. Look what I can do!" Aang said.

Aang shoves his arms forward, and causes a large rock formation to break in half.

"You did it! I knew you would!" Katara said, then turned to Toph.

"You tried the positive reinforcement, didn't you?" Katara asked.

"Yep. It worked wonders." Toph said.

"Aang, we need to talk about our training tomorrow." Lin said, pulling Aang aside.

Toph had a mischievous smirk on her face.

"What's going on?" Katara asked.

"Nothing." Toph said, walking away.

"What kind of training?" Aang asked.

"Hand to hand with earthbending. You remember Azula?" Lin asked.

"I remember." Aang said.

"You need to be more prepared for her next time the two of you meet. I'll help." Lin said.


	27. Chapter 27 the library

Ch 27 the library

Lin and faced each other across a patch of dirt and started the fight. Aang attacked first with a gust of airbending, which Lin dodged, having sparred with Tenzin her whole life.

Lin retaliated by lifting a row of small rocks and fired them at Aang, in a machine-gun like fashion.

Wide eyed, Aang brought up a large wall of earth, and fired boulders at Lin, who batted away the incoming rocks as if it were nothing.

"You're going to need something else to fight me. Stick with air and water. You'll have a better chance." Lin said.

Aang fiercely attacked with his airbending, keeping Lin on the defensive. When Lin came out from her cover she was hit real hard by a blast of water, knocking her on the ground, and drenching her white tank-top wet.

"Come and get it." Lin muttered, as Aang approached his downed opponent.

Like a quick snake, her arm shot out and grabbed his leg. Before Aang could blink, he was thrown to the ground like a rag doll and Lin straddled him, pinning his arms and legs to the ground with her earthbending.

"Enjoying the view?" Lin teased, as Aang ogled Lin.

"I ain't looking." Aang defended.

"So, how did I beat you." Lin said, questioning Aang, still sitting on him.

"You're stronger and more experienced than I am." Aang said.

"That's true. But you're faster than I am. Use your agility against an older opponent, and use the environment to fight for you. For example, since we're fighting on dirt, turn the dirt into thick sand to stop me from moving. If you can use your water and air as well, use it." Lin said.

"Good. So you going to get off?" Aang asked.

"No. I'm perfectly fine." Lin said.

"Hey, if the two of you are done with your practice lunch is ready." Sokka said.

"We'll continue later." Lin said, getting off from Aang and lifting him up.

"Next time, I'll be on top." Aang said.

"I'd like to see you try." Lin coyly said, causing Aang to blush.

"So, when are the two of you going to tie the knot?" Sokka asked Lin.

Lin gave Sokka a murderous glare.

"Or not." Sokka said.

"I suggest you head back to camp." Lin said.

Sokka quickly followed Lin's advice.

"So what about hand to hand? This whole time in our sparring sessions is using only bending." Aang said.

"You'll need to know that as well. Your agility and quickness will give you a hand against other opponents." Lin said.

Eating lunch with their friends, Katara asked a question.

"So how's the sparring session going?" Katara asked.

"It's going really good. Lin is teaching me things I didn't know before." Aang said.

"I'm sure she is." Katara sarcastically muttered.

"What was that?" Lin asked.

"Nothing." Katara said.

Lin glared at Katara, having heard what she said.

"So who's turn is it for their mini vacation?" Toph asked.

"I think it's Katara's turn." Aang said, opening a map.

"How about the misty palms oasis? That sounds refreshing." Katara said.

"Oh yeah, I've been there. It's a pristine natural ice spring, and I usually don't use the word pristine. It's one of nature's wonders." Aang said.

Arriving there, it was not what they were expecting. It was run down, and the ice was close to being melted away.

"Must have changed ownership since I was here." Aang said.

Entering a tavern, they watched as the bartender created a drink and gave it to someone.

"I could have one of those." Sokka said, heading to the bar.

The man bumped into Aang, and spilled his drink on Aang.

"Don't worry. I clean up easily." Aang said, and airbent the mess away.

"You're a living relic!" the man said.

"Thanks. I try." Aang said.

"An air nomad, right in front of me. Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." The man said.

"Tell me, which of the air temples do you hail from?" Zei asked.

"The southern air temple." Aang said.

"Oh splendid! Now tell me, what was the primary agricultural product of your people?"

"Are fruit pies an agricultural product?" Aang asked.

"Truly fascinating. This is one for the journal." Zei said, writing in his notebook.

"So professor, you seem to be a well traveled guy. Do you have a more current map, ours is a little dated." Sokka said.

"Certainly." Zei said, producing another map.

Unrolling the map, the group saw it was a map of the desert.

"No fire nation? Doesn't anyone have a good map of the place?" Sokka asked.

"You made a lot of trips in the desert." Katara noted.

"All in vain, I'm afraid. I've found lost civilizations all over the earth kingdom, but I haven't found the crowned jewel, Wan Shi Tong's library." Zei said.

"You spent years walking thru the desert to find some guy's library?" Toph asked.

"This library is more valuable than gold, little lady. It is said to contain a vast collection of knowledge, and knowledge... is priceless." Zei said.

"Sounds like good times." Toph said.

"Oh, it is. According to legend, it was built by the great knowledge spirit, Wan Shi Tong, with the help of his foxy knowledge seekers." Zei said.  
"Oh, so this spirit has attractive assistants, huh?" Sokka asked.  
"I think he means they look like actual foxes, Sokka." Katara said.  
"You're both right. Handsome little creatures. Wan Shi Tong and his knowledge seekers collected books from all over the world, and put them on display for mankind to read, so that we might better ourselves." Zei said.

"If this place has books from all over the world, do you think they've got info on the Fire Nation? A map maybe?" Sokka asked.

"I wouldn't know, but if such a thing exists, it's in Wan Shi Tong's Library."

"Then it's settled. Aang, I do believe it's my turn. I'd like to spend my vacation AT THE LIBRARY!" Sokka finished, pointing his finger in the air.

"Hey, what about me? When do I get to pick?" Toph asked.

"You gotta work here a little longer before you qualify for vacation time." Sokka said.

Toph pouted in response.

"Of course there's the matter of finding it. I've made several trips into the Si Wong Desert, and almost died each time. I'm afraid that desert's impossible to cross." Zei said.

"Professor, would you like to see our sky bison?" Sokka asked.

"A sky bison? You actually have one?" Zei asked.

Heading outside, they saw sand benders next to Appa.

"Sandbenders, away from the bison!" Zey commanded. The sandbenders left on their sand gliders.

Gathering on Appa, they headed towards the desert, looking for the library.

"Wow, shouldn't be too hard to find a place like this out here." Aang said.

Flying for hours on end, they saw nothing but sand as numerous as the stars.

"Does this place even exist?" Toph asked.

"Some say it doesn't." Zei said.

"Shouldn't you have mentioned that before?" Toph asked.

Still flying, Toph points in a direction.

"There it is!" She shouts, and everyone looks. Seeing nothing but sand, they glare at Toph.

"That's what it will sound like when one of you finds it." Toph said, giving them a blank grin and waving her hand in front of her eyes.

"It shouldn't be this hard to spot a giant ornate building from the air." Katara said.

"With the desert sands shifting all the time, we may never find it, if it exists." Lin said.

Sokka looked thru his spy glass, and saw something.

"There's something down there!" Sokka said.

Landing next to what Sokka found, they compared the tower with the drawing of the library.

"Forget it. It's obviously not what we're looking for. The building in this drawing is enormous." Katara said.

A large gray fox appears in view, and climbs up the tower, going inside.

"What kind of animal is that?" Sokka asked.

"That's one of the knowledge seekers. We must be close to the library!" Zei said.

"No. This is the library. Look!" Sokka said, matching the tower with the drawing.

"It's completely buried." Sokka said.

Professor Zei was hysterical.

"The library is buried!" he said, running to the tower.

"My life's ambition is full of sand." He said, before smiling and producing a spade.

"Well, time to start digging." He said.

"That's not going to work." Lin said, walking to the spire and touching it. Her seismic sense told her everything. Toph walked to the tower as well, and placed her palm on the earth.

"Actually, that won't be necessary. The inside seems to be intact. And it's huge." Toph said.

"It's bigger than anything we'll ever see on this earth." Lin said.

"The foxy thing went in through the window. I say we climb in there and give it a look." Sokka said.

"You guys go ahead without me." Toph said.

"You got something against libraries?" Katara asked.

"I've held books before, and I gotta tell you, they don't exactly do it for me." Toph said.

"Oh. Sorry." Katara sheepishly said.

"Let me know if they have something you can listen to." Toph said.

Lin fired a cable that attached to the window and pulled herself up. Aang followed with his airbending, and the two dropped inside, followed by everyone else.

"That's a hell of a view." Lin said, looking at the large library on the inside.

"It is." Sokka said.

Hearing a noise, they took cover behind some pillars and waited.

"Something's here." Lin whispered.

"What is it?" Aang whispered back.

"One animal, very large." Lin whispered back, holding her knives ready.

"I know your back there." A deep menacing voice said.

Zei walks from behind cover and approaches the large owl.

"He'll get us all killed." Lin hissed.

"Hello! I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." Zei said.

"You should leave the way you came, unless you want to become a stuffed head of anthropology." Wan Shi Tong said, pointing to the many stuffed heads he mounted.

"Are you the spirit who brought this library into the physical world?" Sokka asked.

"Indeed, I am Wan Shi Tong, he who knows 10,000 things. And you are obviously humans, which by the way are no longer permitted in my study." Wan Shi Tong said.

"What do you have against humans?" Aang asked.

"Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans, like that firebender who came in here, looking to destroy his enemy." Wan Shi Tong said.

"So, who are you trying to destroy?" the owl asked.

"What? Oh, no, no, no destroying, we're not into that." Sokka said.  
"Then why have you come here?" the owl asked.  
"Um, knowledge, for, knowledge's sake." Sokka said, trying to bullshit his way through. Lin face-palmed herself.

"If you're going to lie to an all-knowing spirit being, you should at least put some effort into it." Wan Shi Tong said.  
"I'm not lying. I'm here with the Avatar,and he's the bridge between our worlds, he'll vouch for me." Sokka said, pushing Aang forward.  
"Uh, yeah, I'll vouch. We will not abuse the knowledge in your library, good spirit. You have my word." Aang said.

"Hmm, very well. I'll let you peruse my vast collection, on one condition. To prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge." Wan Shi Tong said.

Zei stepped forward, and offered a thick book.

"First edition. Very nice." Wan Shi Tong said, as he took the book.

"I have an authentic water-bending scroll." Katara said, showing the roll.

"Very nice moves." Wan Shi Tong said.

"The only scroll in the world that contains metal-bending." Lin said, holding out her scroll.

"Impressive." Wan Shi Tong said, taking that scroll as well.

"Uh, I know." Aang said, producing his wanted poster.

"I suppose that counts." Wa Shi Tong replied, taking the poster.

The group went thru the library and looked at various books. Lin found some books about history and read them. To her surprise, she found some books about air-bending history.

"Aang, you might want to look at this." Lin said, sitting next to him.

"Guru Laghima?" Aang asked, looking at Lin.

"Lived 4,000 years ago. He spent the latter half of his life without touching the ground at all." Lin said.

"That's impossible. No airbender is that powerful to do such a thing. The stamina and energy would rival the avatar state, maybe more." Aang said.

"It says here, enter the void. Empty, and become wind. Let go of your earthly attachments." Lin said.

"What does that mean?" Aang asked.

"You let go of every earthly attachments. Without those attachments, you become weightless." Lin said.

"You don't believe that, do you?" Aang asked.

"No. I'm not an airbender. I saw it happen before. 3 years in the past, from my perspective. 71 years into the future from your perspective." Lin said.

"What happened?" Aang asked.

"There was an airbender, named Zaheer. He had a group of powerful benders and agents, called the red lotus. Their goal, was to destroy the world governments, create chaos, in order to achieve freedom." Lin said.

"That makes no sense at all." Aang said, confused.

"His belief, was the ends justify the means. Here's another quote from Laghima. 'New growth cannot exist without _first_ the destruction of the old.'" Lin said.

"He sounds like a sociopath." Aang said.

"Some of his readings are very strange." Lin said, pointing to another one.

Katara approached Lin and Aang and watched as they were reading a large book. Katara watched as Lin pulled Aang closer to her and whispered into his ear, then licked his neck.

 _How can he choose her, over me?_ Katara thought, as she watched Lin lower her head and entangle her lips with his, tongues caressing each other.

"Katara?" Aang asked, snapping Katara to reality.

Shaking her head, she saw Lin and Aang reading a large book, both of them looking at her.

"Need something?" Lin asked.

"No. I'm fine." Katara said, and quickly walked past the two of them. She hallucinated the whole thing.

"Does Katara seem a bit off?" Lin asked.

"She appears fine to me." Aang said.

"Sokka, where are you going?" Aang asked, seeing Sokka move in a hurry, with a piece of paper in his hands.

"I want to know what happened to the Fire Nation on their darkest day. This could be promising. The information on the Fire Nation should be right up here." Sokka said, leading them to a part of the library.

The room was burned to a crisp, all the books, maps, and everything about the fire nation was destroyed.

"They destroyed everything having to do with the fire nation." Katara said.

"That's so unfair! Just when I think I'm one step ahead of the Fire Nation, it turns out they beat us here a long time ago." Sokka said.

"No shit. You're 15, and the war has been going on for a century. Of course they're ahead of us." Lin said.

One of the fox's appeared and got their attention.

"Seems it's trying to help you." Zei said.

"Um, sure, I guess I'll follow you." Sokka said.

Following the fox, they entered a large planetarium.

"Uh, this is beautiful, but, how is it helpful?" Sokka asked.

"Maybe those dials represent dates and time. Sokka, put in the date from the parchment you took." Katara said.

Entering the date, Sokka pushed the lever and watched as the planetarium moved. The Sun and the Moon went into a different location, the sun behind the moon.

"Great, you broke it." Aang said.

"It's not broken. The sun is behind the moon. It's a solar eclipse. Firebenders lose their power." Sokka said.

"We got to get this information to the Earth King at Ba Sing Se. We'll wait for the next eclipse, then we'll invade the Fire Nation when they're totally helpless. The Fire Lord is goin' down!" Sokka said.

"Humans are such terrible liars." Wan Shi Tong said, approaching the group.

"You betrayed my trust. From the beginning you intended to misuse this knowledge for evil purposes." Wan Shi Tong said.

"You don't understand. The fire nation is the evil ones. You saw what they did to your library. They're destructive and dangerous. We need this information." Sokka said.

"You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified? Countless others before you have come here, seeking weapons or weaknesses or battle strategies." Wan Shi Tong said.

"Please, we have no choice. We're just desperate to protect the people we love." Aang said.

But the owl wasn't moved by Aang's sincerity.

"And I'm going to protect what I love." Wan Shi Tong said, flapping his wings.

"What are you doing?" Aang shouted.

"I'm taking my knowledge back. No one will ever abuse it again." Wan Shi Tong said.

"He's sinking the building! We got to get out of here!" Katara said.

"I can't allow that. You know too much." Wan Shi Tong said.

Lin had seen and been thru some crazy shit, but this takes the cake. As she was running away from the killer owl, she saw that Zei stopped to beg Wan Shi Tong to reconsider his actions. Thankfully, Aang saved him from his own stupidity.

Aang used air suction to pull the man away from the owl, then threw a powerful gust of air at the bird, knocking him off the bridge and into the depths of the library.

"Where are they going?" Lin asked, as she saw Aang and Sokka run back to the planetarium.

"To find the next solar eclipse." Katara said.

"That's either very stupid, or very brave." Lin said.

"Or both." Katara said.

"It's worth it, though." Lin said.

"You're nuts." Katara said.

Lin saw that Wan Shi Tong chased Katara to the rope that she descended from, and spoke to her in a condescending manner.

"Your water bending won't do you much good here. I know all there is to know about waterbending." Wan Shi Tong said.

Lin ran forward, and launched herself upward with earthbending, and landed on the owl's back and started to hack at it with her arm blades. While it didn't kill the owl outright, it did distract Wan Shi Tong. He shrieked in pain as the knives drew blood and swatted away Lin.

Lin crashed into a bookshelf, and felt her body go numb. Amazingly, she stood up and faced down the owl.

"You got guts. Too bad I have to rip them out of you." Wan Shi Tong said, approaching the wounded metal-bender.

What Wan Shi Tong failed to notice, was Sokka sailing through the air behind him, a book in his hands. Upon impact, the spirit was knocked out by Sokka airborne attack.

"That's Sokka style, learn it." Sokka said.

As everyone climbed up the rope, Sokka looked at Zei, who was sitting next to a bookshelf.

"Professor, lets go!" Sokka urged.

"I'm not leaving. I spent too long trying to find this place. There's not another collection of knowledge here on earth. I could spend eternity here." Zei said.

Respecting his decision, Lin fired her cable at the opening and pulled herself up and out of the sinking library.

With everyone out, Sokka and Katara hugged each other.

"We know the next date of a solar eclipse. The fire nation's in trouble now." Sokka said.

Aang looked around, noticing something was wrong.

"Where's Appa?" He asked.

Toph just shook her head.

"Oh god, no." Lin said, clutching her side.

"How could you let them take Appa?! Why didn't you stop them?!" Aang asked.

"I couldn't! The library was sinking and you guys were trapped inside!" Toph said.

"You could have come to get us. I could have saved him!" Aang said.

"I can hardly feel vibrations in the sand. The sand benders snuck up on me and there wasn't time for…"

"You just didn't care! You never liked Appa! You wanted him gone!" Aang shouted, not seeing reason.

"That's enough!" Lin shouted.

"We need to start moving, or we'll die here. Not throw accusations at each other." Lin said.

Aang walked a few inches away from the group and opened his glider.

"I'm going after Appa." Aang said.

Lin only shook her head.


	28. Chapter 28 the desert

Ch 28 the desert

"We need to move. We're the only one's who know about the solar eclipse." Katara said.

Lin clutched her side, and screamed in pain, as the adrenaline wore off, and the pain settled in.

"Lin! What's wrong?" Katara asked.

Taking a deep breath and holding it, she metalbends her armor off and takes her shirt off as well, revealing a bruised ribcage. Several of her ribs are broken.

"Lay down." Katara said, holding the water in her palms.

Lin sighed as Katara put her hands on the wound and started to heal it.

"So, you think Aang will find Appa?" Katara asked.

"He won't. It's a waste of time. Right now, I wouldn't trust him with my life. The fucker leaves us to die in the desert. He won't last long by himself." Lin said.

Katara pulled her hands away, and the swelling had lessened, but the bones were still broken.

"Sorry. I can't heal bones right now. Just avoid heavy combat, and you'll be fine." Katara said.

"Okay. Tightly bandage the wound." Lin said.

Tearing Lin's shirt apart, Katara used it as a makeshift bandage, and Lin was forced to put on her metal armor and bear thru the discomfort.

After walking thru the desert for an hour, the group was at the end of their endurance. Sokka used the lemur as a makeshift umbrella, when Toph bumped into him.

"Can't you watch where you're going?" Sokka asked.

"No. I'm blind." Toph said.

"Oh, right." Sokka said, forgetting that Toph was blind.

"Come on guys, we need to stick together." Katara said.

"If I sweat anymore, that won't be a problem." Sokka said, trying to separate himself from Toph. Toph gave him a hard shove, separating the both of them.

"Katara, can I have some water?" Toph asked.

"Okay, but we have to conserve it." Katara said.

Katara bended the water into 3 blobs and put it in their mouths.

"We're drinking your bending water?" Sokka asked, then tested it. "You used this on the swamp guys."

"It does taste a bit swampy." Toph calmly said.

"It's all we have." Lin said, as she swallowed it.

"Lin, you ever been in any situations like this?" Katara asked.

"By situations you mean, being trapped in the middle of the desert with no way out, and about to die from dehydration, no. I haven't been in any situations like that." Lin said.

"Look!" Sokka said, pointing to a cactus.

 _Oh brother._ Lin thought, knowing what would happen. She heard of cactus juice and its effects. Now, she was going to see it for the first time.

"Sokka, you shouldn't eat with strange plants." Katara said, as Sokka cut open a cactus.

"There's water trapped inside." Sokka said.

"I don't think so." Katara said.

"Suit yourself. Its quench thirsting." Sokka said.

Sokka's pupils dialated. Sokka then spoke and moved in a manner that suggested they film the scene in the desert.

"Drink cactus juice. It'll quench ya. Nothing's quenchier."

Sokka then moved on the ground like a worm, then stood up with the same smile he had earlier.

"It's the quenchiest!" he declared.

"I think you've had enough." Katara said, dumping the rest on the dirt.

"Can I have some?" Toph asked.

"Who lit Toph on fire?" Sokka asked.

Lin facepalmed herself. They were going to die in the desert, and Sokka was clearly having an acid trip.

"How did we get out here in the middle of the ocean?" Sokka asked.

Walking thru the desert, they heard a loud booming noise, and felt the dust hit them.

"What is that?" Katara asked, turning around.

"What? What is what?" Toph asked.

"It's a giant mushroom. Maybe it's friendly!" Sokka said, hands in the air.

"Lets keep moving." Katara said.

Hours passed, and the group collapsed on the ground, exhausted from their long march. A shadow appeared, and Aang came back, with the same sour look he had.

"I'm sorry, Aang." Katara said, trying to comfort his friend. "I know it's hard, but we need to focus on getting out of here."

Aang coldly pulled away from her.

"We won't survive without Appa. We know it." Aang said, in a despondent look.

"Come on, Aang. We can survive if we work together. Right Toph?" Katara asked.

"As far as I can tell, we're in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothing." Toph said.

"Lin, any ideas?" Katara asked.

"Without any water, we're all dead." Lin said.

"Sokka, any ideas?" Katara asked.

"Why don't we ask the circle birds?" Sokka asked, pointing to the sky.

Looking up, they saw 4 vulture birds circling them.

"We're getting out of here! Everyone, hold hands. Aang, get up. We can do this. We have to." Katara said.

Marching thru the desert, they collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

"Katara, any more water?" Toph asked.

"We're almost out." Katara warned, as she held the water in the air, when Momo leaped thru it.

"Momo! You've killed us all!" Sokka hysterical screamed.

"No he hasn't." Katara said, bending the water into her flask.

"Oh. Bending." Sokka said.

"Get some rest. We'll need it." Lin said, before falling asleep.

Everyone slept as Katara poured over the maps, trying to figure a way out of the desert. Hours passed, and Katara woke everyone up.

"Yesterday, my mouth tasted like mud. Now it taste like sand. Never thought I'd miss the taste of mud." Toph said.

Katara went to Aang, but he was awake.

"I couldn't sleep." Aang said.

Aang and Katara noticed something in the sky. A large cloud hanging in the foreground of a bright moon.

"Appa!" Aang exclaimed.

The cloud didn't respond.

"It's just a cloud." Katara said, when an idea came to her head.

"Wait. You can bend the water from the cloud into my pouch." Katara said.

Aang took the pouch, and with an angry look he opened his glider and flew into the cloud. After three passes, he returned and gave the patch to Katara.

"Wow. No water." Katara said.

"It was a desert cloud, okay? It's all I could do. What's anyone else doing? What are you doing!?" Aang yelled, pointing his staff at Katara.

"Trying to keep us together." Katara said.

Moving again, Toph fell on the ground, tripping on something.

"I am so sick of not feeling where I'm going! And who's the bastard who decided to leave a boat in the middle of the desert?" Toph asked.

"A boat?" Katara asked.

"Trust me. I felt plenty of vibrations to know." Toph said.

Aang blew away the sand and revealed a perfectly made sand sailor.

"It's one of the sand gliders the sand benders use!" Katara said. "It's got a compass. Aang, you can bend a breeze so we can sail it. We're going to make it!"

As everyone climbed on the boat, Lin noticed Sokka burying Momo in the sand. Sighing, she dragged both of them out and onto the sailor.

As they sailed thru the compass, Katara looked at the compass on the sailor.

"It doesn't seem to be pointing north according to my charts." Katara said.

"There's something with a strong magnetic pull. It must be huge." Lin said.

What came into view, was a large rock in the middle of the desert.

"That giant rock. It's the magnetic center of the desert." Katara said.

"A rock, yes! Lets go." Toph said.

"Maybe we can find sandbenders." Aang coldly said.

Dawn came, and the group approached the giant rock.

"Ah, land." Toph said. She fell back on the ground, back first, and made a rock angel. When she was done, they went into one of the cave systems on top of the mesa.

"I think my head's starting to clear up." Sokka said. He noticed something gooey on the wall, and ate it.

He quickly spat it out. "Taste like rotten penguin meat!"

"You've been hallucinating on cactus juice this whole time, and you just decide to eat something you find off the wall?" Katara asked.

"I have a natural curiosity." Sokka said.

"I don't think this is a natural cave. Something made this." Toph said.

"Yeah. Look at the shape." Aang said.

"Something's heading towards us! Get out!" Lin shouts, and fires her cables into the darkness. A scream tells her she killed one of the creatures approaching.

"We have to get out of here! I'm out of water." Katara said, as the buzzard wasps closed in for the kill.

Sokka ran to one spot and started to swing his machete widly.

"Sokka, there's nothing there." Katara said.

"Oh. I guess my head isn't as clear as I thought." Sokka said.

"No kidding." Lin said, as she fired her cables at the buzzards, killing two of them. A buzzard grabbed Momo and flew away. Lin aimed at the buzzard, but Aang flew after the buzzard, interrupting her aim.

Running down the mountain, the buzzards closed in. Lin threw small precision shots at the buzzards, killing several, but more came in.

"I can't hold them forever!" Lin says.

Juust as when death seemed inevitable, the sand erupted like geysers, knocking the buzzard's away. The sand benders appeard, and Aang faced them and he was looking for a fight.

"What are you doing in our land with a sand sailor? From the looks of it, you stole it from the Hammi tribe." The leader said.

"We found it abandoned in the desert. We're traveling with the Avatar. Our bison was stolen, and we have to get to Ba Sing Se." Katara said.

The leader's eyes widened when she said Aang was the avatar.

A young man came up and spoke to them in an aggressive tone.

"You accuse our people of theft while you ride in on a stolen sailor?"

"Quiet Ghasuin. They did not accuse us of anything. If what they are saying is true, we msut provide hospitality." The leader said.

"Sorry, father." Ghasuin said, and Toph's eyes narrowed.

"I recognize him. He's the one that stole Appa." Toph said.

"You sure?" Katara asked.

"I never forget a voice." Toph said.

Aang walked forward, his staff in a threatening position.

"You stole Appa. Where is he?" He asked.

"They're lying. They're the thieves!" Ghausin said.

Aang sent a sharp air blast and destroyed one of the sailors.

"Where's my bison? You tell me where he is, now." Aang said, and destroyed another sailor, his patience going thin.

"What did you do?" the father asked.

"It wasn't me!" he stammered.

"You're lying!" Lin shouted, brandishing her arm blades.

"You said to muzzle him!" Toph shouted.

"You muzzled Appa?" Aang growled. His tattoo's than glowed bright white and his voice became very deep, and very threatening. He then destroyed the last sailor.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know it belonged to the avatar!" the son pleaded.

"Tell me where Appa is!" Aang threatened.

"I traded him to some merchants! He's probably in Ba Sing Se right now. Please, we'll help you any way we can!" Ghasuin said, begging for mercy.

Aang heard none of it. Consumed in pain and rage, he rose in a wind sphere, churning the dust around him.

"Just go. Run!" Sokka shouted, pulling Toph away. Lin followed. She saw what the avatar state could do, and she did not want to be on the receiving end of it.

Katara didn't run, but grabbed Aang. Aang's anger met a look of sympathy on Katara. Aang settled to the ground, and Katara held him in a tight hug. After a few minutes, Aang left the avatar state, held by Katara.

"Thank god." Lin said, as she approached Aang, weary of another attack. Lin looked at Katara, and saw how tired she was.

"I got him." Lin said, and held in her arms.

Lin held Aang tight, as he sobbed in her arms.


	29. Chapter 29 the serpents pass

Ch 29 the serpents pass

Lin tossed her armor aside, and jumped into the lake. Resting her head on the earth she had a short nap and woke up when Katara jumped into the water, and splashed the water everywhere.

"Great. Water on 5,000 year-old maps from the spirit world. Just great." Sokka said.

"Sorry." Katara said, as she bended the water out.

"How's your wound?" Sokka asked Lin, as she came out of the water.

"Doing better, but the bones are still broken." Lin said.

"So did you figure out what route we're going to take?" Aang asked.

"Okay. We just got out of the desert, so we must be around here, and we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here. It looks like the only passage connecting the South to the North is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass." Sokka said.

"You're sure that's the best way to go?" Toph asked.

"It's the only way to go. It's not like we have Appa here to fly us." Sokka said.

"Shush about Appa. Can you at least try to be sensitive?" Katara asked her brother, then looked at Aang.

"Katara, it's ok. I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting

to Ba Sing Se, and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse." Aang calmly said.

"Oh. I'm glad you're doing better." Katara said.

"Then to Ba Sing Se. No more distractions." Sokka said.

Lin pulled Katara aside and quickly whispered into her ear.

"He's not doing better. He's just hiding his emotions." Lin said.

"If he's hiding his emotions, he should talk about it." Katara said.

"Katara, that's the last thing he wants to do right now. You saw what he did in the desert. If you want to open that can of worms, go ahead. But next time, there may be no stopping him. He needs to resolve this on his own." Lin said.

"Hello, there fellow refugees." Than said.

"So, are you guys heading to Ba Sing Se too?" Aang asked.

"Sure are, we're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby." Than said.

"Great. We can travel thru the serpents pass together." Katara said.

"Serpents pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route." Ying fearfully said.

"Deadly route. Great pick, Sokka." Toph said, punching him in the arm, hard.

"Well we are desperate." Sokka said, rubbing his arm.

"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake, and it's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se." Than said.

"And it's hidden, so the fire nation can't find it." Ying.

"Hmm. Deadly route, or peaceful ferry." Katara sarcastically said.

Emerging from a tunnel, the group enters a large cavern, filled with dozens of refugees.

"I can't believe how many lives were uprooted by the fire nation." Katara said.

"We're all looking for a better life. Safe, behind the walls of Ba Sing Se." Than said.

Years on the police force made Lin cynical about a city claiming to be safe. Zaofu didn't stop the red lotus from attacking them. Republic City was supposed to be a city of prosperity and peace. It was the complete opposite.

"My cabbages!"

Lin turned and saw a platypus bear destroy a cart filled with cabbages. Lin lightly smiled, when she remembered arresting the CEO of cabbage corp.

' _Not my cabbage corp'_ The more things change, the more they stay the same.

"Next." The ticket lady said.

"4 tickets to the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please." Aang said.

"Passports?"

"No-one told us we had to have passports." Aang said.

"Don't you know who he is? He's the avatar." Sokka said.

"I see 50 avatar costumes a day. Not a very impressive lot." The ticket lady said.

"Besides, no animals allowed. Do you want to me to call security?"

"That won't be necessary." Aang said, backing away.

"I'll take care of this." Toph said, approaching the desk.

Toph bullshitted her way into getting tickets for the ferry. Lin hoped that she wouldn't be noticed. The fewer people who knew specifically about her, the better.

"Alright. We scammed that lady good." Sokka said, when a guard grabbed him.

"Tickets and passports." The guard said.

"Is there a problem?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. I got a problem with you. I've seen your type before, probably sarcastic, think your hilarious, and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar." The guard said.

"Do I know you?" Sokka asked.

"You don't remember, maybe you'll remember this." The guard said, and kissed Sokka on the cheek.

"Suki!" Sokka said, hugging his friend.

"It's good to see you again, Sokka." Suki said.

Inside a tower, they catch up on old times.

"You look so different without your makeup, and the new outfit." Katara said.

"That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them. And look at you sleeveless guy. Been working out?" Suki asked.

"I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then, nothing major." Sokka said.

"I can still kick your ass in a hand-to-hand fight." Lin said.

"That's because you're an earth-bender." Sokka said.

"Bending doesn't help a person become stronger. If you were to practice your hand to hand as much as you practice running your mouth off, you'd easily beat me in a fight." Lin said.

"Are the other Kyoshi warriors around?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, after you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees, and we've been here ever since. Hi Momo, good to see you too. So why are you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?" Suki asked.

"Appa is missing. We're hoping to find him in Ba Sing Se." Katara said.

"Sorry to hear that. Are you doing okay?" Suki asked Aang.

"I'm fine. Will everyone quit worrying about me?" Aang asked.

At that moment, Ying cried out to them.

"Avatar, you have to help us! Someone took our belongings; our passports, tickets, everything's gone!"

Aang tried to help them, but the ticket lady was unsympathetic.

"No passports, no tickets!"

"But she's pregnant, and all their stuff was stolen! You have to make an exception!"

"No exceptions! If I just gave tickets away willy-nilly to anyone, there would be no order! You know what that means, no more civilization!"

"What if we gave them our tickets?" Aang asked.

"No."

"But…"

"Next!"

Aang came back to the group, wiping away the stamp on his forehead.

"You'll get to the city. I'll lead you thru the serpents pass." Aang said.

As they were leaving, Suki joined them. And Lin was surprised that she was still wearing her armor.

"Still wearing that dress?" Lin asked.

"Yeah." Suki said.

Lin shook her head and gave Suki a cynical smile.

"Hope you survive, but don't pine on hope, especially while wearing that." Lin said.

"You're colder than the first time we met." Suki said.

"War will do that to you." Lin said.

The group stopped at a H-shaped structure just before the pass.

"I thought it would be shaped like a serpent." Sokka said.

"There's enough water here to hold a serpent. That's why it's called the serpents pass." Lin said.

"Abandon hope." Katara said, reading the words scratched into the wood.

"Abandon hope, how can we do that? It's all we have left." Ying said.

Lin walked to the wood and carved out the writing.

"Hope is a bullshit idea. It gets you nowhere. You keep going by yourself. Not by some foolish idea." Lin said, walking onto the path.

As they continued on the path, Suki told the group something she should have said earlier.

"The fire nation controls the western lake. Rumor has it that they're working on something big, and they don't want anyone to know about it." Suki said.

"Has the earth kingdom done some recon, or stayed behind the wall of their city?" Lin asked.

"Don't know. They must have." Suki said.

"But you aren't sure." Lin said.

"Correct." Suki said.

They saw a fire nation cruiser on its patrol. Lin crossed her fingers, hoping that they wouldn't start shooting at them.

And just when she had that thought, part of the cliff gave way, and Tan almost fell, but Toph stopped his fall.

"I'm okay." He said.

"Incoming!" Lin shouts, as the cruiser fires a fireball towards them. The flaming projectile crashed into the mountain above them, and another hit the same spot, causing a rockslide. Sokka pushed Suki out of the way, and was almost crushed by the falling rocks. Toph stopped the rocks from crushing him, but instead of thanking Toph, Sokka focused on Suki.

"Thanks for saving me, Toph. Sure, no problem, Sokka." Toph sarcastically said, before running with the rest of the group.

Having evaded their attackers, they set up camp that night. Lin took her armor off and grabbed her wound. The makeshift bandage was no longer working so she had Katara help heal the wound.

"This should help, but I can't fix any broken bones. It's beyond what I can do right now." Katara said.

"Even if you could, it's best that you don't. Behind the ribs, are the lungs and other vital organs." Lin said.

"If you have to fight, try to avoid getting hit in the ribs." Katara said.

"I'll keep that in mind." Lin sarcastically said.

"No need to be sarcastic." Katara said.

"Face reality. I can hold my own, but one strike against my ribs will put me down. I won't be able to stop that from happening." Lin said, putting her armor back on.

"So, you think Aang's okay?" Katara asked.

"He's not. I've been thru it before. I had a boyfriend in the past. He wanted a family, I didn't. That was straw the broke the camel's back. So we broke up. He's happy now, and I'm fine with how things turned out, but still…" Lin said.

"It wasn't easy when you two broke up." Katara said.

"No. It was very hard. We knew each other since we were kids." Lin said.

"Sorry to hear about that. What was his name?" Katara asked.

"Lee." Lin lied.

The next day, things were going according to plan when they came across a divide in the water. Katara had everyone stand in a line and walked into the water, performing a miniature feat of dividing the sea. With Aang's help, they had an air bubble for them to walk thru. Momo went into the water to find a fish, then quickly swam back.

"Oh my god." Lin said, as she saw a large serpent in their view. An angry serpent, to be precise. The serpent broke thru the air bubble, and Toph quickly brought them above sea level with her earth-bending. When Suki explained that she wasn't an expert on sea creatures, Sokka decided he would offer Momo as a trade for safe passage.

"Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you." Sokka said.

"Sokka!" Katara scolded.

"Is he that stupid?" Lin asked.

"I quit trying to figure that out a long time ago." Katara said.

Aang got the serpents attention with a blast of air.

"Katara, get everyone across. I'll distract it."

While Aang opened his glider to face off against the serpent, Katara made an ice bridge and everyone ran across. Lin held Toph in her arms, and ran across the bridge. The serpent slammed its tail on the ice bridge, destroying it.

Katara and Aang created a whirlpool that trapped the serpent in the center, spinning faster and faster until it slammed against the wall of the cliff.

"I swear to god, if more shit happens, I'm going to lose it." Lin said, almost at her breaking point. She just got out of the desert, and barely escaped a serpent.

Ying groaned in pain and clutched her stomach.

"The baby's coming." She groans.

"What? Now? Can't you hold it in or something?" Sokka asked.

"I think that cactus juice sapped what's left of your brain. And don't be expecting to get it back." Lin said.

"Sokka, calm down. I helped Gran-gran deliver lots of babies back home." Katara chided.

Sokka did not calm down.

"This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a live human thing!"

"It's called a baby. And I've delivered plenty of those. Aang, get some rags. Sokka, water. Toph, I need an earth tent. A big one. Suki, Lin, come with me." Katara said.

"Spread her legs." Lin said.

Katara and Suki grabbed Yin's legs and spread them as far as comfortable, and Lin pinned them to the ground with her earthbending.

"You're doing fine. Just keep pushing." Katara said.

Yin screamed in pain as she tried to push the baby out.

"Sokka, where's that water?" Katara asked.

Sokka came in, just as the baby came out of the mother's stomach.

Sokka simply fainted at the sight. Lin saw it as well, and had a disgusted look on her face. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed her saliva and tried not to throw up.

"It's a girl!" Katara said.

"About time something good happens." Lin said.

"What should we name her?" the father asked.

"I want our daughter's name to be unique. I want it to mean something."

At that moment, Aang spoke up.

"I've been going thru a really hard time lately. But you've made me… hopeful again." Aang said.

Lin stepped outside and looked at the horizon. While she still didn't believe in hope, she gave credit to those who were willing to make their wishes and achievements be a reality, come hell or high water.

"So what are you thinking?" Aang asked.

"Despite all the shit that's been happening, we're still alive." Lin said.

"Yeah. We still are." Aang said.

"Seeing that family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminded me of how I feel about Appa… and how I feel about you and everyone else." Aang said.

Touched, Lin pulled Aang into a bear hug.

Separating, Aang grabs his staff.

"I promise I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this." Aang said.

"See you in the big city." Sokka said.

"Say hi to that big fuzzball for me." Toph said, slugging Aang in the arm.

As Aang leaves ahead of the group to go after Appa, Lin speaks to her friends.

"I've been to the city before. And it's not what you think it is." Lin said.

"It's Ba Sing Se. The capital of the earth-kingdom." Sokka said.

"The dragon of the west broke through." Toph said.

"Threats from the fire nation is a vacation compared to what goes inside the city. There's corruption, crime, a secret police force. Hell, staying outside the wall is better than staying inside the wall." Lin said.

"And why are you telling us this?" Katara asked.

"I get the feeling we'll be staying for a long time in the city. I just want ya'll to be prepared." Lin said.


	30. Chapter 30 the drill

Ch 30 the drill

As they were heading towards the wall, Aang and Momo appeared.

"Aang, what are you doing here?" Lin asked.

"I was looking for Appa, when I noticed something. Something big." Aang said.

"I'd bet you want to see something big that Aang has." Toph said to Lin. Lin only looked at Toph with annoyance.

Aang and Toph earthbended everyone to the top of the wall.

"What's so big that Appa has to wait?" Sokka asked.

"That." Aang said.

Looking ahead, they saw a large fire nation drill, with a dozen tanks escorting it.

"We're at the city and we're not safe. No-one is." Ying said.

"What are you doing here? Civilians aren't allowed on the wall." A soldier said.

Aang spoke in a manner that was out of character for him.

"I'm the Avatar. Take me to whoever is in charge." Aang said.

The soldier took them to a part of the wall that had a roof overhead, and was supported by arches. Lin couldn't help but remember when she first met Korra. She asked to see the chief of police, and she was. Of course, the situations were different. Korra came into the city to wreak vigilante justice. Aang came to the city to provide help in the defense against the fire nation.

The general sat in his chair, and looked too confidant for his own good.

"Thanks you, Avatar. But your help is not needed." The general said.

"Not needed?" Aang asked.

"Not needed. The fire nation cannot break thru this wall. Many have tried, but all have failed." The general said.

"Oh, bullshit. The Dragon of the west broke through, and now they're sending a drill plus armor and infantry to finish the job. Unless you have a special weapon that can take out that drill, you'll need our help." Lin said.

"Not to worry. To stop it, I've sent a special platoon of earthbenders called the terra team." The general said.

"Terra team. I like it. Catchy name." Sokka said.

"5 yuans says they get their asses handed to them. They won't be able to take down the drill with earthbending alone. It's drill for fucks sake!" Lin exclaimed.

The platoon started by knocking several tanks aside and launched an attack on the drill. Large stone pikes were thrusted to hold the drill in place, but the drill simply moved forward, shrugging it off. The troops were caught off guard as knives were thrown at them. Two teenage girls attacked them in a pincer movement. While one threw knives to keep the troops occupied, the second one quickly maneuvered around them and brought them down with chi-blocking.

"We're doomed!" the general exclaimed.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Sokka exclaimed, slapping the general.

"Maybe you'd like the Avatar's help now?" Toph dryly asked.

"Yes, please." The general said.

"How are we going to stop that thing?" Aang asked.

Lin remembered when she, her sister, and team avatar had to take down Kuvira's giant mecha suit. From the inside out. And this drill didn't have advanced metallurgy as Kuivra's mech.

"From the inside out. We can't destroy it from the outside, so we'll take it apart from the guts to the skin." Lin said.

Inside one of the trenches, Toph gave the plan of attack.

"Once I whip up some cover, you won't be able to see. So stay close to me."

Toph sends a massive amount of debris, and creates the cloud cover they need.  
"Run!" Toph said.

"Aang, stay close to me." Lin said.

Inside the drill's command center, they saw the smoke.

"Look at that dust. It's so poofy." Ty Lee said. "Poof."

"I'm sure it's nothing, princess." The war minister said.

Azula gave the minster a quizzical look.

Toph quickly created a hole, and everyone jumped in.

"It's so dark in here. I can't see." Sokka said.

"Oh no. What a nightmare." Toph sarcastically said.

"Sorry." Sokka said.

Toph brought them up directly underneath the drill.

"There." Sokka said, pointing to an opening.

Everyone got in, except Toph.

"Toph, come on." Sokka said.

"No way am I going in that metal monster. I can't bend in there. I'll try and slow it down here." Toph said.

"Okay. Good luck." Sokka said.

"Where too?" Aang asked.

"Follow me." Lin said, her seismic sense giving her the layout of the machine for 100 meters in all direction.

Lin lead the group to a room and broke one of the pipe handles.

"What are you doing? Someone will hear us." Aang said.

"Exactly. This machine will need teams of engineers to run it. And when something breaks…" Sokka said.

"They come to fix it." Katara said.

An engineer came in to fix the broken pipe, but Katara froze him in place with waterbending.

Taking the schematics, Sokka looked at the paper.

"It looks like the drill is made of two parts. The inner part and the outer part are connected by these braces. If we can cut thru them, the entire thing will collapse." Sokka said.

Sokka lead them to the support struts. The real object was massive compared to the drawing.

"Lets split up into two groups. I'll head to the left, you guys take the right. Katara, Aang, here's some advice. Don't cut thru the brace all the way. Go half away." Lin said.

"Why only halfway?" Sokka asked.

"10 braces cut all the way won't do as much damage, as 40 braces cut half way." Lin said, as she went to another brace to start cutting thru with her metalbending.

"Lin's right. Toph has also been teaching me the same thing." Aang said.

"Lets get started." Katara said.

They started cutting thru the braces, one at a time. Lin made sure to monitor their progress, and keep an eye out for open threats.

As they cut through, a creaking noise was heard.

"You hear that, we made it through. We have to get out of here." Sokka said.

As they left, an announcement sent chills up their spines.

"Congratulations crew. We've made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se. Start the countdown to victory." The war minister said.

"No!" Lin shouted.

"This is bad, real bad." Katara said.

"Lin, how more do we have to cut through?" Aang asked.

Lin punched into the metal brace and used her seismic sense to get a readout of the braces surrounding them.

"Just a few more." Lin said.

"After that, I'll deliver the final blow." Aang said.

The group worked at cutting the braces, as many as they could.

"Good. Now Aang needs to-DUCK!" Sokka yelled, as a blue fireball almost took his head off.

"You're right Azula. It is the avatar. And friends." Ty Lee said.

"Hey." Sokka said, waving his hand, instead of bugging out.

"Goddamn it." Lin growled, grinding her teeth together. Her ribs were still broken, and she was in no condition to fight Azula at all. Azula was the better bender, but Lin had endurance and brute strength compared to Azula.

Running away, the group split up in two groups. Sokka and Katara escaped thru the sewers, while Aang and Lin went to the top.

Aang ran really fast with his airbending, and Lin could barely keep up, using her cables to cross the vast distances in the drill. She hid and waited for Azula to pass.

On the drill, Aang found a spot to start cutting, only to be bombarded by boulders.

"General Song, tell your troop to stop firing rocks down here!" Aang yelled.

"Soldiers, whatever you do, don't stop throwing rocks down there." Song ordered.

Dodging the rocks, Aang started cutting away with the water. And minutes later, he was reaching his breaking point.

"Lin, why didn't you teach me metalbending?" Aang muttered.

Momo screamed as a blue fireball flew towards him.

"Momo, get out of here!" Aang shouts, as he faces his enemy, Azula.

Azula fires the first shot, which Aang avoids. Aang fires back with waterbending, but Azula easily counters with her powerful and precise firebending. Aang grabs a falling boulder and throws it at Azula, who dodges it.

Azula continues her attack, while Aang pulls up a defense of rocks, and fires small boulders at Azula, who kicks them away, and fires with a large bolt of blue fire. Aang is knocked back against the wall.

Azula walks forward, intent on scarring Aang for live. But before she can grab him, she feels a metal cabal wrap around her waist, and she is pulled backwards and lands on the drill, tumbling backwards.

She looks up, and sees Lin. Azula observes Lin for a second, and notices that she's putting the right side of her body facing Azula, in an attempt to prevent damage to her left. Azula smirks, a plan going in motion.

Azula fire first with blue fireballs, which Lin dodges. Lin retaliates by ripping the outer metal of the drill off, and throwing them at Lin, as if they were deadly arrows. Azula nimbly dodges the lethal shards of metal, and run at Azula, using her firebending to propel her forward.

"Oh shit." Lin says, when Azula makes contact with her.

Azula's right hand punches Lin's left ribcage and a sickening crack is heard. Lin collapses on the drill and screams as the pain sets in. Holding her ribcage with one hand, she backs away with the other hand, as Azula approaches her, intent on killing her.

"Hey!" Aang shouts, pushing Azula away with a strong air blast, knocking her off the drill.

"Get up." Aang said, trying to lift Lin.

"I can't. I'm too heavy for your strength, and I think I got a punctured lung." Lin said.

"Can you breath?" Aang asked.

Lin took several breaths and found she could breath, but barely.

"Barely. Get me to the wall, and destroy the drill." Lin said.

Aang pulls Lin to the wall with an air suction move, and watches as Lin pulls herself up the wall with her cables.

"Time to destroy this thing." Aang says, as a boulder slams next to him.

Aang carves the boulder and puts it inside the X-shaped hole in the drill. He runs up the wall, and runs back down using his airbending to increase his speed. He lands onto the boulder, and the combined weight and force destroys the drill.

Lin stands up and sees the drill collapse on itself, slurry falling out.

"It's over." Lin says, sitting on the ground, tenderly holding her wound.

"I just want to say, good effort out there today team avatar." Sokka said.

"Enough with the team avatar stuff. No matter how many times you say it, it's not going to catch on." Katara said.

"How about, the "Boomerang Squad!", see it's good cause it's got "Aang" in it. Boomer-Aang." Sokka said.

"I kind of like that one." Aang said.

"Lets talk about this on the way to our city." Katara said.

"The Aang Gang?" Sokka asked.

"It's not catching on. Give it a rest." Lin says.


	31. Chapter 31 Ba Sing Se

Ch 31 Ba Sing Se

Traveling on the monorail, they approached the inner part of Ba Sing Se. Lin had been to the city before, when she and Korra broke out all the airbenders. She took a deep breath, but was interrupted as her breathing was cut short. On instinct, she grabbed her broken ribcage.

"Lin, you okay?" Aang asked.

"No. I'm not." Lin said.

Aang looked at Lin with concern. She never complained about anything. She always moved thru anything that came in her path.

"I'm here if you need my help." Aang said, holding her hand with his.

"Thanks." Lin said.

Exiting the train, Toph wasn't too pleased.

"Back in the city. Great."

"What's the problem? This is amazing." Sokka said.

"Just a bunch of walls and rules. Just wait a couple of days. You'll get sick of it." Toph said.

Lin was already turned around, and when the trains passed, she stared down Joo Dee, who was walking towards them. With a large shit eating grin.

"Hello. I'm Joo Dee!" she said. "I have been given the great honor of showing the avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Toph, Katara, and Lin. Welcome to our wonderful city."

Lin knew all about Joo Dee, and the Dai Li brainwashing program, so what happened next didn't come as a shock to her.

Sokka told her about the news they had about the solar eclipse, but was dismissed.

"Maybe you missed what I said. We have important information about the war. We need to talk to the king." Sokka said.

"You're in Ba Sing Se right now. Everyone is safe here." Joo Dee said.

"Bullshit." Lin said.

Moments later, they were in a large carriage pulled by an ostrich horse. Lin just rested and tried to conserve her energy until they reached the upper ring. She knew how large the city was, and when Zaheer killed the queen, it descended into anarchy and hell on earth, in less than a day.

"This is the lower ring." Joo Dee said.

"What's that wall for?" Katara asked.

"Ba Sing Se has many walls. There are the ones outside, protecting us. And the ones inside, maintaining law and order. This is where our newest arrivals live, as well as our craftsmen and artisans. It's so quaint and lovely." Joo Dee said.

If Joo Dee described the slums and poverty and quaint and lovely, Lin could only wonder what she'd describe the hells of war. She'd rather not know.

As they entered the middle ring, Sokka snapped.

"Yes, we met a professor from the Ba Sing Se University. He took us to an ancient underground library where we discovered information about the war that is absolutely important for the earth king to hear!" Sokka shouted right in Joo Dee's ear.

"Isn't history fascinating?" Joo Dee asked.

Lin figured that if it were anyone else, their ears would be ringing from Sokka's yelling. The Dai Li must know their stuff.

"Is that woman deaf, she only hears half of what I said." Sokka said.

"It's called getting handled. Get used to it." Toph said.

Soon they were in the upper ring, which was the smallest ring in the city. They passed by an enormous building.

"What's inside that building?" Katara asked.

From the building, three Dai Li agents looked at them.

"And who are those mean looking guys?" Sokka asked.

"Inside is the royal palace. Those men are agents of the Dai Li, the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se. They are the guardians of our tradition." Joo Dee said.

Lin snorted and shook her head, knowing the full truth of the Dai Li. They were nothing more than governmental thugs.

"Here we are, your new home." Joo Dee said.

"And more good news. Your request for an audience with the earth king is being processed and should be put through in about a month. Quicker than usual." Joo Dee said.

"A month?" Sokka asked.

"6-8 weeks, actually." Joo Dee said.

"Isn't it nice? I think you will really enjoy it here." Joo Dee said, as they settled inside the house.  
"I think we'd enjoy it more if we weren't staying so long. Can't we see the King any sooner?" Sokka asked.  
"The Earth King is very busy running the finest city in the world, but he will see you as soon as time permits." Joo Dee said.  
"If we are going to be here for a month, we should spend our time looking for Appa." Aang said, glaring out the window. 

"I'll be happy to escort you anywhere you would like to go." Joo Dee said.  
"We don't need a babysitter." Toph said, walking towards the door.  
"Oh, I won't get in the way. And to leave you alone would make me a bad host. Where shall we start?" Joo Dee said, stepping in front of Toph. Toph turned around, annoyed with Joo Dee.

As everyone left, Lin stayed behind.

"Aren't you coming?" Katara asked.

"I'm not. I'm in no condition to go anywhere." Lin said.

"Okay. Hope you get better." Katara said.

"Right." Lin sarcastically said.

When they were gone, Lin went to her room and took her armor off, leaving her bare naked from the waist up. She lay on the bed and practiced her breathing. She grabbed her broken ribs and attempted to move them to be more comfortable, to allow her more breathing room.

"AGHHH!" Lin screamed and dropped the ribcage. In short staccato breaths, she attempted to breathe, but her breathing stopped. She rolled over and put her finger down her throat. She then vomited blood from her lungs. She spat out more blood in an effort to clear her lungs. When she could breathe again, she rolled back on the bed and curled up.

"Aang, please hurry." She said, as tears rolled down her face, the very reality of death sneaking up on her.

Aang and his friends came back inside, not seeing Lin in the main room.

"Lin?" Aang asked.

Lin walked into the room, looking worse for wear.

"My goodness." Sokka said.

"She's not doing good." Toph said.

"Aang, I need you to help me." Lin said, collapsing in a chair.

"With what?" Aang asked.

"Aang, I tried moving my ribs; didn't work. Might have made it worse. I know that at least one rib is inside my lung. I've been coughing up some blood to breath." Lin said.

She kneeled forward and hacked up some blood.

"Oh, god." Katara said, and ran forward to help Lin.

"Katara, can you help her?" Aang asked.

"Aang, this is beyond what I can do. And you know even less about healing than I do. You've only practiced it once. A burn is one thing. Internal injuries are something worse." Katara said.

"He has the avatar state." Lin said.

"How's that going to help?" Sokka asked.

"I have 10,000 past lives in me right now." Aang said.

"Plenty of time for an avatar to pick up medical knowledge. Aang, if you don't heal me, I'll die." Lin said, looking him in the eyes, her eyes pleading with him.

"Can't you go to a hospital?" Sokka asked.

"I'm not going to one of the hospitals. It's run by the Dai li. If they know what I can do, we're all fucked. Aang's my only chance." Lin said.

"Okay. I'll heal you." Aang said.

Aang helped Lin to her room, and Lin laid on the bed, taking her armor off. The wound was now worse.

"Uh, Lin. Any reason why your armor is off?" Aang asked, blushing as he saw his second earthbending teacher laying on the bed, her body nude, from the waist up.

"My shirt and bra were used up in holding the wound. I'll get another shirt tomorrow. For now, start the healing." Lin said, almost looking forward to it.

 _Of course you're looking forward to it. Having Aang straddling you, his hands roaming across your body. When the healing is done, are you going to reverse the position and take him as yours?_

Lin blocked away the thoughts and watched as Aang straddled her and entered the avatar state, his eyes and tattoos glowing. Holding the water in his hands, Aang put the water on her side and let the avatar state and his past lives guide him.

For Lin, the experience was heavenly.

"Oh, Aang. That feels so good." She sighed, melting into his touch.

"Just doing what I can." Aang replied.

Lin felt like she died and gone to heaven. She daydreamed that she and an older Aang were on a beach at ember island, making love to each other.

While one hand was resting on the ribs, his other hand was sitting between her breasts, healing her lung.

Lin continued her breathing, and noticed it was getting stronger and greater. She arched her back, providing a full stretch for her lungs and ribs. Her breathing shortened again, and Aang continued his healing.

"Please, Aang. Continue." She said.

"My pleasure." Aang said, his voice deepened by the avatar state.

In the living room, Katara, Sokka, and Toph waited.

"How long does it take?" Katara asked.

"She must hurt a lot worse than she's showing. Miracle she's breathing, let alone moving at all." Sokka said.

"She was hurt really bad. But even if they're done, I bet they're now trying to create a kid." Toph smirked.

Katara and Sokka both did a spit take, spitting out their drinks.

"Say what?" Katara asked.

"Toph, do you even know how kids are created?" Sokka asked.

"Honestly, no. But judging both of your reactions, it must be pretty disgusting." Toph said.

"It's more intimate than disgusting." Sokka said, Katara nodded in agreement.

"Woah. So tell me how it's done." Toph said.

"No. Not until you're older." Katara firmly said.

 _What if Aang doesn't know? Lin wouldn't take advantage of that, right? What if he wants to know, and she shows him?_

Not being content with her thoughts, Katara slowly crept to the bedroom, where she heard

"Aang, honey. Lie with me."

Katara looked thru the opening in the door's locking mechanism, and saw Aang holding water onto Lin's left lung and ribcage. Aang exited the avatar state and threw the water aside.

"Did you call me honey?" Aang asked, as Lin sat up, healed of her wounds.

"Oh. I was daydreaming." Lin said, clearly uncomfortable.

"Daydreaming of what?" Aang asked.

"Me and you." Lin said.

"Okay." Aang said, and looked at Lin's backside.

"Where'd you get all these scars?" Aang asked, tracing one with his finger.

"Combat. Lots of it." Lin softly said, not wanting to remember fighting the equalists, red lotus, and all the other enemies she fought over the years.

"I can heal them." Aang said.

"We got time. Lets heal them." Lin said.

Aang grabbed the water and wrapped them around his hands and put them on her back. Lin arched her back in response of the cold water.

"Argh! Too damn cold." Lin said

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it." Aang said, his hands glowing. Lin turns around and faces Aang, wrapping her arms around him, pulling both of them together.

"Keep it going." Lin said.

"Shouldn't I be seeing your back?" Aang asked, struggling not ogle Lin.

"If you're in a fight, and you or your comrades get wounded, and you're unable to see the wounds, you'll need to feel the wounds and heal them. Completely if possible." Lin said, as Aang continued to heal the wounds and scars on her back.

"Just like seismic sense." Aang said.

"Just like seismic sense." Lin repeated.

"I think you're healed." Aang said.

"You'll have to feel my back to know if it's true." Lin said.

Aang did that, and as the glowing hand moved its fingertips across her back, Lin felt her chi levels increase.

"Thanks, Aang." Lin says.

"Anytime, Lin." Aang replies.

Lin lays down on the bed, pulling Aang next to her. Aang airbends the covers on both of them, and the cold forces Lin to pull Aang closer for warmth.

Next morning, Katara came in with news.

"I know how we'll see the earth king." She said.

"How? One does not pop in to see the earth king." Toph said, mimicking Joo Dee's voice.

"The king is having a party for his pet bear." Katara said.

"You mean platypus bear?" Aang asked.

"It just says bear." Katara said.

After going thru the different bears that they knew, it didn't say any of those.

"Just bears." Katara said.

"This place, is weird." Toph said.

"That's only the tip of the iceberg." Lin said.

"Anyway, the place will be packed. We can sneak in with the crowed." Katara said.

"Won't work." Toph said.

"Why not?" Katara asked.

"No offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowed will spot you a mile away. You've got no manners." Toph said.

"And another manner. The Dai Li will be there. You sure you want to be in trouble with them?" Lin asked.

"I doubt the Dai Li will recognize us." Katara said.

"Listen to me. The Dai Li are the most zealous elements in the earth kingdom. Hardly anything is known about their organization. They're trained assassins, among other things. God knows how much political power they have." Lin said.

But Lin's warning fell on deaf ears. So, she decided to dress up and accompany Toph and Katara. She wore a form fitting dress that was gray and sparkling. It had a slit in the front of the dress up to her knee.

The door opened, and Sokka and Aang looked at Katara, Lin, and Sokka.

"Wow. You look beautiful." Aang said, his eyes mostly on Lin.

Katara almost spoke, when Toph put an open fan in front of Katara's mouth.

"Don't talk to the commoners, Katara. First rule of society." Toph said.

"I can see why you left." Lin said.

"That, and many other reasons." Toph said.

"We'll get in the party, and then find a way to let you in through the side gate." Katara said.

As Lin walked with Katara and Toph a thought and a memory went thru her mind.

 _Never thought I'd be doing this in a million years. I'm reminded of that gala Tarrlok held for Korra. Of course, this is very different._

Standing in line, they approached a guard, and got in when Lin produced the tickets.

"How'd you get the tickets?" Katara asked.

"Unlike most people, I actually planned for this. While you and Toph were pampering yourselves, I went into the city and got ahold of some passports for us to use." Lin said.

"What about Aang and Sokka?" Katara asked.

"I told them to come in disguised. We don't want Aang's presence being known." Lin said.

Lin grabbed a plate and loaded up on some food and started eating. Her seismic sense easily told her where Aang and Sokka were.

"There you guys are." Aang said.

"You see the king?" Katara asked.

"No. He could be anywhere, or anyone." Sokka said.

"We got company." Lin growled, putting a steak knife in her bra.

Joo Dee quickly found them and talked to them.

"What are you doing here? You have to leave immediately, or we'll all be in trouble!" Joo Dee said.

"Not until we see the king." Sokka said, blocking Joo Dee with his plate.

"You don't understand. You must go!" Joo Dee urgently said, pressing against Sokka. Sokka fell against Aang, and Aang let a large jug of juice in his hands fall from his hands, and drench a woman wet.

After Aang dried her with his airbending, his cover as blown.

"The avatar. I didn't know he would be here."

Joo Dee's expression went from pure dread. Aang grinned as everyone had their eyes on him. Sokka quickly came up with an idea.

"You keep them distracted, while I search for the king." Sokka said.

Lin kept to the walls of the building, giving her a much wider view of the room. Her seismic sense told her of the Dai Li agents that were approaching her friends. Quicker than she could react, they were all captured and lead to a large room. Aang followed another man, and Lin followed Aang, sticking close to the walls.

Inching closer to the room that Aang was at, her earthbending senses told her to turn around. She did, and saw a Dai Li agent trying to sneak up on her. Lin quickly killed him by throwing her knife at his heart.

Lin dropped to her knees, as a pair of rock gloves flew over her head. She grabbed the gloves with her earthbending, and threw them back at her attacker. The gloves surrounded the Dai Li's neck and crushed his windpipe, killing him quickly and quietly.

Putting the knife in her bra, she put her ear to the door and listened.

"What's most important to his royal majesty is maintaining the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se. All his duties relate to issuing decrees on such matter. It's my job to oversee the city's resources. Including the military." Long Feng said.

"So the king's just a figurehead." Katara said.

"He's your puppet." Toph spat.

"Oh no. The king is a god to his people. He can't sully his changes with the hourly changes of an endless war." Long Feng said.

"This war is about to end far sooner than you think." Lin muttered under her breath.

"But we found out about a solar eclipse that'll render the fire nation powerless. You can lead an invasion and…" Sokka said.

"Enough! I don't want to hear your ridiculous plans. It's the strict policy of Ba Sing Se that the war not be mentioned. Constant news of an escalating war would throw the citizens into a panic. Our economy would be ruined. Our way of life, our traditions would disappear. In silencing talk of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful orderly utopia. The last on earth." Long Feng said.

"That explains everything." Lin said.

"I'll tell them. I'll make sure everyone knows!" Aang exclaimed.

Long Feng responded with ominous words.

"Until now, you've been treated as honored guests. But from now on, you'll be watched by Dai Li agents. If you mention the war to anyone, you'll be expelled out of the city. I understand you're looking for your bison. It would be a shame if you were unable to complete your quest. Now Joo Dee will show you to your home."

The children looked at Joo Dee with surprise; she was not the same woman they met earlier.

"Where's Joo Dee?" Katara asked.

"I'm Joo Dee. I'll be your host as long as you're in our wonderful city." She said with a bow.

Lin kicked the doors open and entered the room, knife in her hand. She was met with a look of surprise, except from Toph who said "Look, the cavalry is here."

"What is the meaning of this?" Long Feng asked, as he looked at the older woman.

"Crashing a party. You really think you can keep this bullshit plan active forever?" Lin asked.

"You were listening. I can make you disappear." Long Feng threatened.

"Your men already tried. They're dead. I have a warning for you as well." Lin said.

Quicker than anyone could blink, Lin kicked Long Feng in the nuts real hard, and threw him onto the ground.

Long Feng only groaned in pain, as he held his bruising balls.

"Since you're not talking, allow me. You threaten the avatar and his friends, and I will make sure you die a most horrible and gruesome death. Try anything, and I will find you. And I will kill you." Lin said.

It was not a threat.


	32. Chapter 32 tales of Ba Sing Se (Linaang)

Ch 32 Tales of Ba Sign Se (Linaang)

Lin woke up and put her armor on. She shook Aang awake and heard him say "5 more minutes."

"No. You're waking up now." Lin said.

"Make me." Aang said.

Lin put her fingers around Aang's collarbone, and dug in, the pain waking him up.

"Okay, I'm awake." Aang said, grabbing his collarbone.

"Good. Now, have you heard of hot yoga?" Lin asked.

"I've heard of it." Aang said.

"Good. I managed to get a private room for me and you." Lin said.

"Looking forward to it." Aang said.

"Where are you two going?" Katara asked, as Aang and Lin were leaving.

"Lin scheduled a yoga session for me and her." Aang said.

"Oh. Well, enjoy yourself." Katara said.

Katara clenched her fists in anger. She was planning on spending the day with Aang, but it seemed that plan was now ruined.

"What the hell does he see in her?" Katara asked.

"Katara, quit your angry emotional waterbending." Sokka said, as he walked into the room, his arms covered with ice.

"Oh. Sorry." Katara said, removing the ice from Sokka.

Lin and Aang went to gym where Lin scheduled the session.

"Good, you're here. Let me show you the room." The owner said, leading them two a secluded part of the building. Aang had to use is airbending to keep himself cool.

"Aang, no airbending on this op. It's supposed to be hot." Lin said.

"How hot is it?" Aang asked.

"100 degrees." The owner said.

The owner left, and Aang and Lin walked inside the heated room. The temperature was already high.

"First, your shirt and boots off." Lin said, taking her armor and shoes off.

"Okay." Aang said, taking his shoes and boots off as well.

"First, cobra." Lin said, her legs resting on the ground, and she lifted her torso up with her arms. Aang followed the pose, sitting next to her.

Lin went to downward dog and lifted her left leg into a standing split. She watched as Aang completed the same move.

"Have you ever cooked pasta before?" Lin asked.

"I have." Aang said, as the two went to a more advanced yoga pose.

"What have you noticed about the pasta after it's been boiled?" Lin asked.

"It's more loose and stringy." Aang said.

"Same principle that hot yoga is built on. But on the scale of a human body." Lin said.

The two stood with their backs against each other, sweat pouring down their bodies.

"I need a drink." Aang said.

"After this pose, then we'll get a drink." Lin said.

Stepping apart two steps, they bent backwards until they were doing a backbend, faces right next to each other.

"I'll admit. I can stretch real farther than I usually can." Lin said.

"That's good news." Aang said.

"It is good news. It'll come handy in a fight." Lin said, as the two stood up and got their drinks.

Finishing their drinks, they went to practice more poses. Lin had Aang in front of her, their bodies touching each other.

"Follow my movements." Lin said, as she spread her legs wide open, Aang following suit.

"You lean backward, and I'll follow on top." Lin said, earthbending braces to hold their legs still. Aang bended backwards, and Lin bended forward her body resting on Aang's.

"Okay. You're turn." Aang said, feeling Lin's hot breath on his chest.

Lin went into a full backbend, with Aang following on top. Shen she stretched enough, she up righted herself and removed the earth braces.

"Spread them." Lin said, as the two let their legs fall into a straddle. Lin pushed Aang onto the ground, and her legs directly parallel on top of Aang's.

"Someone's getting excited." Lin said, feeling Aang's member harden.

"Hey, I can't control it." Aang said.

Lin pulled Aang up and reversed their positions; Lin was lying on the ground, and Aang was on top.

"This feels really good. We should do this more often." Aang said, as the two sat up.

"Don't worry. We will." Lin said, as she closed her legs and leaned forward.

"You sit on the back of my spine and lie on my back. Stretch your arms and grab my ankles." Lin said.

Aang did so, and stretched his back on Lin's, grabbing her ankles

"You know something? I should have continued this years ago. I'm getting a good stretch." Lin said.

"Continued?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. I did it once, but quit. I'm wishing I didn't quit." Lin said, as she sat up.

"Okay. Now we switch roles." Aang said.

Lin sat on Aang's back and stretched herself on top of Aang, grabbing his ankles.

"So, how'd you manage to get it private session for the two of us?" Aang asked, feeling the stretch.

"Simple. I said I was with the avatar, and I wanted a private hot yoga session with you, no disturbances. He was really happy to comply. Being the avatar must have its perks." Lin said, considering Aang to be a better Avatar than Korra, in that he was calmer than she was.

"Being the avatar's girlfriend must have its perks as well." Aang said, as he stood up.

"What makes you say that?" Lin asked, sitting with her back pressed against his. She grabbed his arms and pulled them back over her shoulders. Letting go of his arms, Aang returned the favor.

"Just joking." Aang said.

Finishing the session, they put their clothes on and left.

"Did you enjoy the session?" the owner asked.  
"We did. We'll probably be back to continue." Aang said.

Leaving the building, they noticed it was now noon.

"Times flies when you're having fun." Aang said.

"It does." Lin said.

"You dance?" Aang asked.

"What?" Lin asked, wondering where the question came from.

"Dance. Do you dance?" Aang asked.

"No. I don't." Lin said.

"I can teach you." Aang said.

"Sorry, Aang. But I doubt I'll be a good student." Lin said.

"You never know." Aang said.

"I seriously doubt it." Lin said.

"Come on. It'll be fun." Aang said, a big smile on his face.

"Alright." Lin said, giving in. Otherwise, Aang wouldn't quit.

Finding an open field, Aang led Lin thru a few dances that he knew.

"Just remember. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3." Aang said, as he led her thru several moves.

"Katara, look at that. Aang teaching Lin how to dance." Toph said, as she and Katara returned from their spa treatment.

"I didn't know she could dance." Katara said, as Lin lead Aang thru several dances, having to come up with them on the fly.

"Looks like you got some completion, sugar queen." Toph said.

"I know." Katara annoyingly said.

"I will admit, Lin. You got potential." Aang said.

"Thanks, Aang. Say, you want to be my teacher?" Lin asked.

"Sure thing." Aang said.

That night, they came back to the house.

"You two spent a lot of time alone." Sokka said.

"We had a great day. Some yoga, dancing, we even built a new zoo for the animals outside the second wall." Aang said.

"Yeah. It didn't go well at first. All the animals went haywire the second the cages were open. I was this close to killing a hog-monkey because it wouldn't shut up." Lin said.

"Yeah, but I got it under control." Aang said.

"You did. After the cabbage merchant had half of his cabbages eaten by other animals. You even dragged several house pets outside. Now that was interesting." Lin said.

"Sounds like the two of you had a date that lasted the whole day." Toph said.

Aang blushed, and Lin facepalmed herself.

"She's not my girlfriend." Aang said.

"I'm not his girlfriend." Lin said at the same time.

"I can tell you're lying." Toph sung.

"Aang, what's in the bag?" Sokka asked.

"I got some chocolate for us to share." Aang said, opening the bag.

"Thanks, Aang." Katara said, eating a piece.

"You'll like them. They're genuine air nomad chocolate." Aang said, eating a piece.

Everyone was eating some of the chocolate, and quickly swallowed it. Aang and Lin were the only one's who appeared unaffected by the strong taste.

"It taste's very strong and rich." Sokka said.

"Yeah. What's in it?" Toph asked.

"The owner of the place said it was an aphrodisiac." Aang said.

Katara, Sokka, and Toph spat out their pieces.

"No wonder it taste so good." Lin said, eating 4 at a time.

"Aang, do you know what an aphrodisiac is?" Katara asked.

"Uh, no." Aang said.

"It gets you in the mood." Lin said.

"Mood for what?" Aang asked.

"Mood to create children and pleasure each other." Toph said.

Lin wanted to murder her mom right on the spot.

"Okay. But I don't know how kids are created. Never was told that stuff." Aang said.

"Thank god. You'll know later." Lin said.

"Why don't you tell Aang what it is, so he'll know it?" Sokka asked.

"Nah. Lin is more of the 'my actions, not my words define me' type. Maybe that's how she'll teach Aang." Katara spitefully said.

"Katara, is there a problem?" Aang asked, concerned for his friend.

Lin already made her decision about the present situation.

"Forget it. I'm hitting the hay. You coming Aang?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. I'm coming." Aang said.

Lin closed the door and locked it from the inside with her metalbending.

"Finally. Some privacy." Lin said, as she shed her armor and climbed under the covers.

"Why does they think we're a couple? We're just friends." Aang said, climbing in with Lin.

"Because you spend more time with me than everyone else combined." Lin said.

"Right. And what's going on between you and Katara?" Aang asked.

"From my end, nothing. It's her we should be worried about. She seems very jealous." Lin said, caressing Aang, an idea coming to her head.

"You know what, maybe we should act as if we're boyfriend/girlfriend. Maybe they'll stop teasing us. If not, it's just to spite them." Lin said.

"Deal." Aang said, kissing Lin.


	33. Chapter 33 lake laogi

Ch 33 Lake Laogi

"Morning, dear." Lin said, waking next to Aang.

"Morning, Lin." Aang said.

Lin deeply kisses Aang and straddles him, tying his hands to the bed posts with her metal cables.

"Lin, what are you doing?" Aang asked.

"Trust me." Lin said.

"One question. About this plan. What do we do when confronted about it? What should we say?" Aang asked.

"We go with the plan. Act as if we're boyfriend/girlfriend. Anything we need to do or say to confirm it, we do it." Lin said.

Meanwhile, Katara got up and went to get Aang so the two can go get the flies necessary to spread the search for Appa. She went to Aang's room and tried to open the door, but it was locked.

"Aang, open this door. You can't stay asleep forever." Katara said.

"Sure he can." Sokka said, walking past to the kitchen, getting some breakfast.

"What's going on, sugar queen?" Toph asked.

"Aang's door is locked. And I can't get it open." Katara said, trying to open the lock.

"Can't help you there. The door's locked with metal, and I'm no metalbender." Toph said.

Toph narrowed her eyes, and smirked.

"What?" Katara asked.

"You might want to listen." Toph said.

Katara put her ear to the door and listened.

"Lin, you're beautiful." Aang said, as Lin kissed him.

"Thanks. Now lay back and enjoy the moment." Lin said.

Katara had her eyes wide open as she heard the two make out, lips and tongues sloppily met each other.

The two stared into each other's eyes when they heard Katara banging on the door.

"What's that?" Aang asked, turning to the door.

"Honey, it's nothing." Lin said, capturing his lips with her.

"What if it's an emergency?" Aang said between kisses.

"Aang, it's an emergency!" Katara all but shouted.

"It's not. She's just jealous of us." Lin said.

Katara went red faced, steam went out of ears, produced a rather sizable blade of ice, and attempted to cut the locking mechanism, reinforced by Lin's metalbending.

"Come on. Come on." Katara furiously said, as she attempted to cut the metal away, only for her ice blade to give first.

"Damn. Lin knows her stuff." Toph said.

Katara managed to break the lock open and pushed the door aside and her mouth dropped open at the scene. Aang had his arms stretched open, wrists tied to the bedposts with metal cables. Lin was on top, her tongue in his mouth.

"What are you doing?!" Katara shouted.

Lin and Aang quickly tensed up and saw Katara.

"Katara, we're busy." Lin said, the only thing she could say.

"Busy?" Katara deadpanned.

"What's going on…" Sokka said, stumbling on the room. His jaw dropped open at the sight.

Lin had enough and threw everyone out with a large earth wall. She then reinforced the wall with metal.

"Maybe we should get our own place in the city." Aang said.

"I can see that going well for us." Lin said, climbing off of Aang

Entering the living room, they were subjected to the scrutinized looks of everyone, except Toph who was blind.

"Problem, Katara?" Lin asked.

"No. Everything's fine." She said.

"Good. I'm going to print some flyers about Appa." Aang said.

"I'll go with you." Katara quickly said.

As the two left, Sokka looked at Toph.

"So, you and Aang." Sokka said.

"Yep." Lin said, sitting on the couch, sharpening her arm blades.

"I don't know what to say." Sokka said.

"I wonder how Katara will handle all of this. Lin, you got twinkle toes solid. If I were you, I'd keep him, and hold onto him as long as I can." Toph said.

"Thanks for the advice." Lin said.

Meanwhile, Aang and Katara had an awkward moment.

"So, you and Lin." Katara said.

"Yeah. We're together." Aang said.

"Aang, I don't know what you see in her. She's bitter, cynical, and abrasive. I can't believe how close the two of you got so quickly." Katara said.

"It's the truth, Katara. Will it last, I don't know. But for now…" Aang said.

"Okay. I don't like it, but I won't get in the way." Katara said.

"Thanks for understanding." Aang said.

Had Aang practiced his seismic sense, he would have known Katara had no intention of letting Lin have Aang.

And had Katara have seismic sense, she would have known Aang was lying about him and Lin being a couple.

Arriving at the house, they saw Sokka drawing on some papers. Toph was laying on the ground, with Momo licking her feet.

 _I wonder how Lin's feet would taste…_ Aang thought, then shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"So how'd it go?" Lin asked.

"We got the papers." Aang said, showing them.

"Wow. You're one hell of an artist." Lin said, looking at the drawing.

"It's alright." Aang said.

"What the hell kind of drawing is this?" Lin asked, looking at Sokka's poorly drawn rendition of Appa.

"That's supposed to be Appa." Sokka said.

"It looks nothing like him." Lin said.

Aang took the posters and distributed them by flying over the city on his glider. When he came back, he sat down and stood up again when the door was knocked.

"That's fast." Aang said.

"That's a problem." Lin said, brandishing her arm-blades.

Lin's prophecy was proven correct, when Joo Dee appeared.

"What happened to you? Did the Dai Li throw you in jail?" Sokka asked.

"What? Jail? Of course not. I was sent on a vacation to Lake Laogi. It was quite refreshing." Joo Dee said.

"I'm sure it was." Lin said, in a jaded tone.

"What are you here for?" Aang asked.

"Dropping fliers and putting up posters isn't permitted in the city. Not without proper clearance." Joo Dee said.

"We can't wait for clearance on everything." Sokka said.

"You're forbidden by the rules of the city to continue to put up posters." Joo Dee said.

Aang snapped.

"We don't care about the rules and we're not asking for permission! We'll find Appa our own way, and you should just stay out of our way!"

Aang slammed the door and fumed in anger.

"You know that's going to bite us in the blubber." Sokka said.

"I don't care. From now on, we do whatever it takes to find Appa." Aang said.

"Alright. Lets break some rules!" Toph said, and promptly destroyed a chunk of the house with her earthbending.

Lin pinched the bridge of her nose, and considered getting an apartment for just her and Aang.

 _Yeah. With a king-sized bed. That we stay in for all day. Kissing and fondling each other, screaming each other's names after a night of passion and…_

"Lin, you coming?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. I'm coming." Lin said, and noticed her hand was closed into a fist. She opened it, and saw blood coming out of her palms.

"You kind of zoned out for a second." Sokka said.

"Yeah. Doing some thinking." Lin said.

"You seem to do that a lot since we arrive in the city." Katara said.

"It's because she's thinking of her boyfriend, and all the nasty things they'll do to each other." Toph said.

Lin grabbed Toph by the throat and slammed her against the wall.

"Enough, Toph. If you don't, I will burn your feet." Lin threatened.

"Normal people wouldn't do this. You know what they say. The truth hurts." Toph said, as Lin set Toph down.

Aang pulled Lin aside.

"You need to reign in your emotions." Aang said.

Lin pressed Aang against the wall and pressed her body against his.

"You're the last person who tells me about reigning in my emotions. After what you did in the desert? Going into the avatar state, and almost killing us all." Lin said.

"Maybe. But I'm not the one who threatens my fellow teacher with blindness." Aang said.

"And I'm not the one who ogles my teacher in yoga practice. Besides, I think you enjoy being on bottom." Lin said, stepping away from Aang.

"You two have issues, you know that?" Sokka asked.

"At least they're getting laid." Toph said.

Lin growled in discomfort.

After putting some posters on a wall (including a hilarious moment where Toph put a poster on backwards), Katara went to put some posters on a wall, when she heard a voice she did not want to hear.

"Katara?" he asked.

Katara looked to see the one person she did not want to see. Jet.

"I think I can help." Jet said.

Katara immediately attacks with her waterbending.

"Katara, I don't want to fight you!" Jet says, tossing down his swords.

Katara doesn't listen, and pins him against the wall.

"Katara, what's going on?" Aang asked, hearing the fight.

"Jet's back. We can't trust anything he says." Katara said.

"But we don't know why he's here." Sokka said.

"Doesn't matter. Whatever the reason is, it can't be good." Katara said.

"I doubt he could cause any damage in the city. He's by himself, and he's not a bender." Lin said.

"I'm here to help you find Appa." Jet said, showing the flier of the animal.

"You're lying." Katara said.

"He's telling the truth." Toph said.

"He is." Lin added.

"Remind us. How's that possible?" Sokka asked.

"When people lie, there's a physical change. He's telling the truth." Toph said.

"Katara, we don't have any leads. We have to take him." Aang said.

"All right." Katara said, before rounding up on Jet. "But we're not letting you out of our sight."

"This is the place I heard about." Jet said, opening the door to a warehouse.

The place was empty, with furs littering the floor.

"There's nothing here." Sokka said.

"If this is another trap…" Katara said, pulling out some water.

"He was here." Toph said, holding some fur.

"How long ago was he here?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. They shipped that large creature to some island." An older man said, sweeping the floor.

"What island?" Aang asked.

"Whale tail island." The man said.

"Shit." Lin said.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"That's a long way from us." Lin said, remembering when the Tarrlok captured Korra, and initially led to believe she was hiding underground, when she was hiding in the mountains.

"He's still here in the city." Lin said.

"What are you talking about?" Jet asked.

"Jets comes out of nowhere, offering to help. Is it genuine, I don't know. But I do know the Dai Li run the whole city. They want us out, because they know we're a threat. Chances are, Appa isn't out of the city. But hidden underground. Plenty of tunnels and caverns to hide a flying bison." Lin said.

"So where, underground, could he be?" Aang asked.

"I don't know." Lin said.

As they walked in the city, Smellerbee and longshot found them.

"Jet!" Smellerbee said.

"I thought you left them behind." Katara said.

"I did." Jet said.

"How'd you get away from the Dai Li?" Smellerbee asked.

"The Dai Li?" Katara asked.

"Told you." Lin said.

"He got arrested a couple of weeks ago. We saw him get dragged away." Smellerbee said.

"Jesus." Lin said, knowing from her memory what the Dai Li did.

"Why would I be arrested? I've been living peacefully in the city." Jet said.

"That's strange. They're both telling the truth." Toph said.

"That's impossible." Katara said.

"It is if you brainwash someone." Lin said.

Everyone surrounded Jet and took him to an empty building.

"The Dai Li must have sent Jet to mislead us, and that janitor was part of the plan." Katara said.

"You were right, Lin. Appa's here in the city. Where did they take you?" Aang asked Jet.

"Nowhere. I don't know what you're talking about." Jet said.

"We need to find a way to jog his memories." Aang said.

Maybe Katara should kiss him. That should bring something back." Sokka teased.

"Maybe you should kiss him." Katara retorted.

"Hey, just an idea." Sokka said.

"A bad one." Aang said.

"Try to think of something from your past that triggers your memories." Toph said.

"The fire nation! Remember what they did to your family!" Smellerbee said.

"This is gonna suck." Lin muttered, clearly remembering when she had her acupuncture treatment to relive her buried memories. As bad as it was, seeing Su run with the triads then not pay up for her crimes, seeing your own family murdered in front of your eyes was even worse.

"It's too painful!" Jet said, grabbing his head.

"Let me try something." Katara said, bending water onto his head.

Jet remembered again.

"They took me to their headquarters under the water, like a lake!" Jet said.

"Wait. What did Joo Dee say? She went on vacation to Lake Laogi." Sokka said.

"That's it. Lake Laogi." Jet said, standing up.

Outside the city, Jet led them to the lake that he mentioned.

"This is where the headquarters is?" Sokka asked.

"Under the water, I think." Jet said.

"There's a tunnel right there by the shore." Toph said, and earthbended a slab of rock with an entrance.

Inside the fortress, they passed several rooms. One had dozens of woman, being brainwashed into being Joo Dee agents.

Lin couldn't help but remember when she went underground to search for Korra. The similarities were unnerving.

"I think there's a cell big enough to hold Appa. Right here." Jet said, opening a door.

The group entered the door, and saw multiple agents hanging from the ceiling.

"Now that's something different." Sokka said.

"You have made yourselves enemies of the state. Take them into custody." Long Feng said.

The agents dropped down to fight the gang. Lin pulled out her arm blades and stabbed an agent to death.

Lin slammed her fist to the ground, and 5 earth pillars rose from the ground and shoved 5 Dai Li agents up thru the air and crushed them against the ceiling.

"Long Feng's escaping!" Aang said, running after him.

"Aang, wait! Oh, fuck it." Lin said, and ran after him.

Jet and Aang faced Long Feng, only for Long Feng to activate Jet's brainwashing.

"Jet, the Dai Li would like to invite you to whale tail island."

Jet then attacked Aang, swinging his fish hook swords at him.

"Jet, remember who you are. You're a freedom fighter!" Aang said.

Jet stopped for a second, and appeared to remember who he was.

"Aang, I remember." Jet said.

Jet then threw his fish-hook sword at Long Feng, who blocked it with his earthbending, and retaliated by earthbeing a large slab of earth at Jet.

Lin ran into the room, and saw Long Feng running.

"Fuck. We're too late." Lin said.

"This isn't good." Katara said, trying to heal Jet with her waterbending.

"You guys go and find Appa. We'll take care of Jet." Smellerbee said.

"We're not going to leave you." Katara said.

"There's no time. Just go. He's out leader. We'll take care of him." Longshot said, speaking for the first time.

"Don't worry, Katara. I'll be fine." Jet said.

Walking away, Toph gave terse news.

"He's lying." Toph said.

They finally reached Appa's hold, only to discover he was gone.

"Appa's gone! Long Feng beat us here." Aang said.

"If we keep moving, maybe we can reach him." Sokka said.

Escaping to the beach, they were ambushed by Dai Li agents.

"You think we can outrun them?" Sokka asked.

"I don't think that's going to matter." Aang said.

They were surrounded and cut off by the Dai Li agents. Lin looked at her enemies with anger in her eyes. They were outnumbered and outgunned.

Momo came to Aang, in an excited manner.

"What is it, Momo?" Aang asked.

Appa came out of nowhere, and knocked a sizable chunk of the Dai Li agents away from the group, leaving Aang and Toph to take care of the rest, launching them into the sea. Long Feng faced Appa.

"I'll take care of you myself." Long Feng said, moving to attack. Appa held his leg in his mouth, and tossed him into the water.

"Yeah, Appa!" Sokka shouted.

"I've missed you, buddy." Aang said.

"It's a miracle." Katara said.

"I place no stock in miracles, but it's damn good to see Appa again." Lin said.


	34. Chapter 34 the earth king

Ch 34 the earth king

"Look, we escaped from the Dai Li. We got Appa back. I'm telling you, we should go and see the earth king now, and tell him of our plan. We're on a roll." Sokka said.

"One good hour after weeks of trouble isn't much of a roll." Katara said.

"We can build on it. If we want to invade the fire nation, we'll need the earth king's support." Sokka said.

"In case you haven't noticed, things never go right for our gang." Toph said.

"I know. But I got a good feeling about this one." Sokka said.

"As much as I hate it, I agree with Sokka. Without the King's support, we have no chance of invading the fire nation. We go now and tell the king." Lin said.

Katara and Toph were outvoted in the matter, and so they went on Appa.

Lin scanned the ground, half expecting to get shot out.

"What are you doing?" Aang asked.

"Surface threats. They know we're coming, so they're preparing to attack." Lin said.

And Lin was proven right, as surface to air rocks were tossed right at them.

"Incoming!" Sokka shouted.

Aang and Lin started to destroy the incoming rocks, and upon touchdown, they laid waste to the earth kingdom guards and broke inside.

"Search the rooms!" Lin said, as she opened a door and saw an empty room.

"There's nothing here." Katara said.

"What about that door?" Aang asked, as they approached a large door at the end of the hallway.

Sokka ran at the door in an attempt to break it down. It didn't work.

Aang broke down the door with his airbending, and everyone moved into the room. They saw the king, Long Feng, and several Dai Li agents.

"We have to talk to you." Aang said.

"They're here to overthrow you." Long Feng said to the king.

"No. We're on our side. We're here to help you." Sokka said.

"You invade my palace. Attack my guards, and break down my doors. And you expect me to trust you?" the king asked.

"He does have a point." Toph said.

"Lovely." Lin said.

"If you're in my side, drop your weapons and stand down." The king said.

They dropped their weapons, only for the Dai Li to cuff their hands.

Lin raised an eyebrow, and broke all their cuffs.

"You're up against the avatar, and his friends. Just here us out." Lin said.

"The avatar?" Kuei asked.

"What does it matter? They're enemies of the state." Long Feng said.

"Hey asshole! The 'enemies of the state' risked their lives to stop the fire nation from breaching the walls!" Lin shouted.

"She's right. There's been a war going on for 100 years. The Dai Li has kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city." Aang said.

"A conspiracy. That's crazy." Kuei said.

"Long Feng didn't want us to tell you. He stole our bison to blackmail us. And that's the least of his crimes." Aang said.

"All lies. I never even seen one. Their extinct." Long Feng said.

"Your claim is difficult to believe, even from the avatar." Kuei said.

Aang and Sokka quickly showed the king the bite mark Long Feng received from Appa, and the king was convinced to hear them out.

Long Feng walked away, to destroy the entrance to his secret base.

Arriving at the location, Toph brought up the entrance, only to see it was destroyed.

"Long Feng destroyed the entrance." Katara said.

"No shit." Lin said.

"This is a waste of time. I'm heading back to the palace." Kuei said.

"If you come with us to the outer wall, we can show you the war is real." Aang said.

"No earth king has ever been to the outer wall." Kuei said.

"No wonder your country is so weak and divided." Lin said.

They headed to the drill, and saw it was still embedded in the wall.

"No way they'll cover that. It'll be months, if not a year." Lin said.

"What is that?" Kuei asked.

"A drill. Built by the fire nation to break thru the wall and invade your city." Katara said.

Long Feng appeared, and attempted to bullshit his way thru.

"So why does your 'construction project' have a fire nation mark on it?" Katara asked.

"Well it's imported off course. You know you can't trust domestic machinery." Long Feng said.

"So, you expect us to believe that the fire nation would give you, a member of the earth kingdom, their enemy, precious metal, enough to build a large drill, as a simple construction project?" Lin asked.

"Dai Li. Arrest Long Feng. I want him tried for treason and crimes against the state." Kuei said.

The two agents gave each other a suspicious look, then cuffed Long Feng with metal cuffs.

"You can't arrest me! You need me more than you know!" Long Feng said.

"Long Feng, is long gone." Sokka said.

That night, they talked with the king.

"We're at war, with the fire nation." Kuei said.

"Yes, sir. And it's been going on for 100 years." Lin said.

"And we don't have much time left. There's a comet coming this summer. Its energy will grant the fire nation immense power. They'll be unstoppable." Aang said.

"But there is hope. Before the comet comes, we have a window of opportunity. A solar eclipse is coming. The sun will be blocked off, and the fire benders will be powerless." Sokka said.

"What are you suggesting, Sokka?" Kuei asked.

"You attack the fire nation on the day of black sun." Sokka said.

"That would require moving thousands of troops, leaving the city vulnerable." Kuei said.

"You're already vulnerable. The fire nation won't stop until the city is theirs. But take the advantage of this opportunity, and end the war, before the fire nation wins." Sokka said.

General How came in and showed them several important documents and letters concerning the group. Toph received a letter from her mom. Sokka and Katara received news that their father was in Chameleon bay, and Aang received a letter from a Guru, who can help him master the avatar state.

Nothing came from Lin, which she was fine with. The fewer knew about her, the better.

"So what do we do now?" Aang asked.

"I guess we split up." Katara said.

"Split up? We just got our family back." Aang said.

"Aang, you have to master the avatar state, and the rest of us also have important things to do. It won't be long. I hope." Lin said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay." Aang said.

"What about you, Lin?" Sokka asked.

"I'll stay with Katara and help plan the invasion. I want to look over the fine print of the operation." Lin said.

As they loaded supplies on Appa, Katara pulled Aang aside.

"I think you should girlfriend a good-by kiss." Katara said in jest.

Lin heard what Katara said, and just to spite her, she grabbed Aang, pushed him against Appa and roughly kissed him. Pressing her body against his, she held both of them together as their lips parted, tongues still connected.

Katara and Sokka stared with their jaws dropped to the floor.

"Did we just see…" Sokka said.

"Yeah. We did." Katara said.


	35. Chapter 35 the fall

Ch 35 the fall

Watching the bison leave, the two headed into the war room and watched as the general's planned the invasion of the fire nation.

"General Fong's base will serve as the launching point of the attack. In exactly two months, the army and navy will invade the fire nation on the day of black sun." General How said, moving pieces across the board, representing the troop movements.

Lin looked at the board and knew the plan was doomed from the start.

"Or maybe we could send Momo to do some damage." Katara said, as Momo jumped onto the board and knocked the pieces down.

General How earthbent the pieces upright, scaring the lemur away.

"Cause the… sorry." Katara said, seeing the stern looks at the council. Even Lin wasn't amused.

"All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan." General How said, handing a scroll to Katara.

"Lin?" Katara asked, seeing the older earthbender in thought.

"I need time to go over the fine print. And I want to discuss it with Katara, right now." Lin said.

"Suit yourself." General How said, as he and the other generals left the room.

"What's on your mind, other than Aang, of course." Katara said.

"This is a bad plan. Moving all the troops and supplies won't go unnoticed by the fire nation, who control over 90% of the earth kingdom right now. And even if all those troops are moved without problem, attacking the fire nation is suicide." Lin said.

"That's why we have the solar eclipse." Katara said.

"Do you know how long a solar eclipse lasts?" Lin asked.

Katara shook her head.

"At best, best mind you, it lasts 12 minutes. Not enough time to launch a full scale invasion. We'll have to fight our way past the defenses, up the capital, and still have enough troops to occupy the capital when Aang fights the firelord." Lin said.

"Oh. Didn't think of that." Katara said.

"Katara, head back to the house, stay hidden, and wait for Aang. I'll deliver the scroll." Lin said, taking the parchment. She approached an arms locker and grabbed a pair of broadswords.

"Lin, you know something's going to happen. What is it?" Katara asked.

"Listen to my instructions. Head to the house, and stay hidden. I got some loose ends to tie up." Lin said.

"Okay." Katara said.

As the two split up, Aang was busy learning the chakras. He was working on the last one.

"This is the last one, isn't it?" Aang asked.

"Yes. Once you open this chakra, you will be able go in and out of the Avatar State at will. And when you are in the Avatar State, you will have complete control and awareness of all your actions." Guru Pathik said.

"Lets do this." Aang said.

"The Thought chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world." Pathik said.

As Aang meditated, he remembered what Lin told him.

 _Guru Laghima… didn't touch the ground for the latter half of his life… discarded all earthly attachments…_

Still meditating, he had a vision of things to come.

 _Aang saw a young woman, only a few years older than him. She was wearing a blue shirt and pants, and had long black hair. Her eyes were glowing, and she was pursuing a bald older man, who was flying by himself, without the aid of any mechanical parts. Both people fought each other. The woman fired jets of stream and moved large boulders at the older man. The man retaliated with air-bending Aang had never seen before._

' _Let go. Enter the void. Empty, and become wind. Let go of your earthly attachments.' A deep voice said._

Aang snapped out of his meditation, sweat pouring down his body. Shaking it off, he meditated again. This time, he saw the times he and Lin spent together. Sparring, practicing Yoga, a few kisses and other intimate moments between the two.

"Now, let go of all those attachments. Let them flow down the river. Forgotten." Guru Pathik said.

"What? Why would I let go of Lin? I love her." Aang said, himself startled by what he just said.

"Learn to let her go, or you cannot let the pure cosmic energy flow in from the universe." Pathik said.

"Why would I choose cosmic energy over Lin? How could it be a bad thing that I feel an attachment to her? Three chakras ago, that was a good thing." Aang said.

"You must learn to let her go." Pathik said.

Meanwhile, Lin walked into the palace and went thru her memories.

 _The plan never came to fruition, because the city fell to the fire nation. I doubt I can stop it. But I have to do something about those three girls._

Approaching a door, leaned against a wall and pressed her fingers to her forehead, stomach, and both shoulders.

"Hail spirits, full of grace. Raava, if you're out there, help us." Lin said, before she opened the door and walked in, sword at the ready.

At the eastern air temple, Aang continued his training.

"Let the pure cosmic energy flow." Pathik said.

Aang watched as he is floating high above the planet. He sees a giant version of himself, holding an orb of sorts. Aang is enclosed within the orb, but a scream distracts him. He sees Lin fighting Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai. And she is losing the fight.

"Lin's in trouble. I have to go." Aang said, standing up.

"No Aang! By choosing attachment, you have locked the chakra! If you leave now you won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all!" Pathik said.

Aang rides away on Appa to the city. Reaching Sokka, he grabs him and heads back to the city, also grabbing Toph in the process.

"So what kind of trouble is Lin in?" Sokka asked.

"She was fighting 3 of the Kyoshi warriors. I hope she's okay." Aang said.

"Why would she fight the Kyoshi warriors?" Sokka asked.

"Don't know. But it can't be good." Aang said.

Landing at the city, they headed to their house and saw Katara.

"Katara, you're okay." Aang said.

"Of course I am." Katara said, slightly confused.

"Where's Lin?" Aang asked.

"After the meeting, she told me to head back here and wait for you. Said she had some loose ends to finish." Katara said, when the door was slammed open. Lin came in, a bloody sword in her hand.

"Lin! What happened?" Aang asked.

"The three Kyoshi warriors. They're the girls from Omashu. They've infiltrated the city." Lin said.

"You killed them?" Katara asked, seeing the blood stained sword.

"Couldn't. Outnumbered and outgunned. This is from the 10 Dai Li agents I had to fight past. All dead. We need to leave the city. We're marked, and they're coming after us." Lin said.

The door was knocked open, and Toph opened the door.

"I need your help." Iroh said.

Aang and Sokka only looked in shock.

"You guys know each other!" Aang said.  
"I met him in the woods once and knocked him down. Then he gave me tea and very good advice." Toph said.  
"May I come in? Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se." Iroh said.

"We know. I just fought with her." Lin said.

"She has captured my nephew as well." Iroh said.  
"Then we'll work together to fight Azula, and save Zuko." Aang said. 

"What?" Katara asked.

"Woah there. You lost me at, "Zuko"." Sokka said.  
"I know how you must feel about my nephew. But believe me when I tell you there is good inside him." Iroh said.  
"Good inside of him isn't enough. Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?" Sokka asked.

"All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance." Aang said.

"Fine." Katara grudgingly said.

"I brought someone who might be able to help us." Iroh said.

Walking outside, they saw a bound and gagged Dai Li agent.

"Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup. They're going to overthrow the Earth King." The agent said.

"Where are they holding Zuko?" Iroh asked.

"In the crystal catacombs of old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace." The agent said.

"Good. Today's your lucky day." Lin said.

"What?" The agent asked.

"I don't have time to torture you. So I'll just have to kill you." Lin said, and proceeded to cut the agent's throat, spilling blood all over the place. A gurgling sound is heard, as he drowns in his own blood.

Toph lead them to a part of the city.

"Well whaddya know. There _is_ an ancient city down there, but it's deep." Toph said.

"We should split up. Aang, you go with Iroh, and Lin to search for the angry jerk… no offence." Sokka said.

"None taken." Iroh said.

"And I'll go with Toph and Katara to warn the king about Azula's coup." Sokka said.

Aang, Lin, and Iroh headed underground, as Aang tunneled down using his earthbending. An uncomfortable silence is between the three, but Aang breaks the ice.

"So Toph thinks you give pretty good advice and tea." Aang said.

"The key to both is proper aging. What's on your mind?" Iroh asked.

"Well, I met with this Guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State, and control this great power. But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn't." Aang said.

"Perfection and power are overrated. I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love." Iroh said.

"What happens if we can't save everyone and beat Azula? Without the Avatar State, what if I am not powerful enough?" Aang asked.

"I don't know the answer. Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving..." Iroh said, as Aang broke thru the last earth barrier, entering the catacombs of Ba Sing Se.

"You will come to a better place." Iroh said.

The catacombs are filled with green crystals, both stalagmites and stalactites. In the back is a waterfall pouring into a channel.

"Wow. It's beautiful." Aang said, holding Lin's hand.

"It is." Lin said, looking at Aang.

Lin lead the trio to Zuko's location, and broke the earth down.

"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the avatar?" Zuko asked.

"Saving your ass, that's what." Aang said.

Zuko snarls and make a move at Aang, but Iroh holds him back.

"Zuko, it's time we talked." Iroh said, then turned to Lin and Aang.

"Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you." Iroh said.

Lin and Aang ran from the two firebenders and into the catacombs.

"We need to get out of here." Aang said.

An explosion gets their attention, and they erect and earth barrier to defend themselves. A powerful blue fire hits the earth wall, almost destroying it.

"Fuck, it's Azula." Lin said.

Lin attacks with quick earthbending strikes, firing precise earth bullets at Azula. Azula fires a large blue flame that destroys all the rocks, and throws another fireball at Lin. Lin pulls a large earth rock from the ground and throws it at the incoming fireball, destroying both elemental weapons.

The resulting cloud hides Azula, and Aang and Lin wait for another attack. Azula jumps out of the cloud onto one of the larger crystals high above. She attacks with two blue fireballs, which Aang and Lin deflect by erecting an earth shield. Azula lands on a rock jutting out from one of the large columns. Lin snaps her fingers, and the rock explodes, dropping Azula onto the ground.

Azula lands between the two earthbenders, and looks at both of them, waiting for the next move.

Suddenly, a red fireball lands between the three of them, and Zuko appears. Zuko walks closer, eyeing the trio. He and Aang look at each other, contemplating what will happen next.

Aang gasps and bends a spiral of wind around him, as Zuko attacks him with his firebending.

"Oh crap." Lin said, as Azula continues the attack.

Lin jumps out of the way as the blue fire approaches her. Lin gets up and runs from Azula, getting distance between the two of them. Azula walks forward, and upon seeing Lin, sends blue fireballs at her. Lin winces as the fireballs impact around her.

Lin heads in front of Azula and charges her. Lin raises part of the earth and fires it at Azula, firing a thin yet sharp earth disk at Azula. Azula side steps the shard of earth as it cuts a bit of her hair.

Lin approaches Azula and using her earthbending, plus physical strength, sends Azula flying with a single punch. Azula quickly recovers and charges Lin.

"Come and get it." Lin growled, as she waits for her enemy.

Azula approaches Lin, but is stopped by earth wrapping itself around her feet, causing her to trip and fall to the ground. Her arms and legs are pinned by the earth, and Lin walks forward, brandishing her sword to finish Azula.

"Oh shit." Azula said, knowing that she was about to get killed. A red fireball lands in front of Lin, knocking her back. Zuko quickly destroys the earth cuffs and frees her sister.

"Why are you helping your psychotic sister?" Lin askes, as she and Zuko dueled.

Zuko doesn't respond, but continues to attack with two large fire tentacles. Lin is completely on the defensive, as she's forced to put up earth barriers to defend herself. Her situations becomes worse, as Azula joins the fray.

"Goddamn it!" Lin shouts, as she's corned by Azula and Zuko.

Both Azula and Zuko attack with their firebending, and push Lin into a cluster of crystals, knocking her out.

A rumbling noise is heard, as Aang attacks on a rolling mound of rock. As Azula and Zuko brace for the new attack, a Dai Li agents appears out of nowhere and destroys the mound with his earthbending, sending Aang flying onto the ground.

Aang picks himself up, and sees many Dai Li agents behind Zuko and Azula. Turning to see Lin, he sees that she's also outnumbered by Dai Li agents.

"There's too many of them." He said.

Aang remembers what Pathik told him.

"I'm sorry, Lin." Aang said.

Aang sits down and creates a small tent of crystals. Meditating, he lets go of his earthly attachments, and enters the avatar state.

The crystal tent glows bright, then is destroyed as Aang rises up in the avatar state, on a pillar of light.

"You did it, Aang." Lin said, as she watches Aang rise up. Zuko and the Dai Li agents fall back, not wanting to be on the receiving end of his power. A blast of lightning is heard, and Aang writhes in pain, the lightning going thru his body. Lin watches as Aang falls to the ground, dead.

Lin rushes forward with a war cry and hits the ground with both her fists. The ground underneath the Dai Li agents, Zuko, and Azula violently explode, knocking them back. Lin catches Aang and looks at her enemies as they close in.

Suddenly, Iroh jumps in and starts shooting fire blasts at any potential attackers.

"You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" Iroh said.

Not needing to be told twice, Lin creates a pillar of earth and brings both her and Aang to the top of the caverns, escaping the catacombs.

"What happened?!" Katara asked, seeing Lin with a dead Aang, pulling both on Appa.

"Get us out of here." Lin said.

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"GET US OUT OF HERE!" Lin all but shrieked at Katara, holding onto Aang.

Leaving the city, Lin sat on Appa, and sobbed, cradling Aang's body.

"He's dead. Azula killed him." Lin said between sobs.

"Lin, I can help." Katara said, grabbing Aang, but Lin wouldn't let go, overcome with grief.

"Lin, please." Katara said, pleading with the earthbender.

Lin lets Katara hold Aang, and watches as she bends the oasis water onto Aang's wound. Aang's tattoos glow, and he groans from the recovery.

"Thank god." Lin said.

As Lin holds Aang, Kuei makes a sober statement.

"The Earth Kingdom, has fallen."


	36. Chapter 36 the awakening

Ch 36 the awakening

Aang opened his eyes and grabbed his stomach, groaning in pain.

"Where am I?" he muttered.

Turning his head, he saw the flag of the fire nation, and realized he had been captured.

"Oh no!" He said, and quickly stood up, looking for his staff.

"Calm down." Lin said, pulling him back to the bed.

"Lin, what's going on?" Aang asked.

"Here's what happened. We fled the city, stole a fire nation cruiser, and we're sailing west. We've past the serpents pass, just so you know." Lin said.

Aang didn't pay attention, and passed out.

"Figure that would happen." Lin muttered.

Morning came, and Aang woke again.

"Where is everyone else?" Aang asked.

"They're on deck. You should rest." Lin said.

"How long was I out?" Aang asked.

"A few weeks. You grew some hair." Lin said.

"I have hair?" Aang asked, grabbing the top of his head.

"Yeah. You do." Lin said.

"Feel like I need a bath." Aang said.

"I'll help you with it." Lin said.

"I'm fine." Aang said, standing up with his staff. He could barely walk when his weak body collapsed.

"You're not going anywhere. I said I'll help." Lin said, picking Aang bridal style.

Lin took Aang to the bathtub and started the water and heater by turning the dials via metalbending, and began to strip Aang of his clothes.

"Hey. A little privacy." Aang said.

"Aang, you can barely stand, let alone take your clothes off." Lin said, then realized the implications of what she said.

"No-one must know about this." Lin said.

"They won't." Aang said.

Lin gently put Aang inside the warming water, and Aang gritted his teeth, as the water stung against his wounds.

"That stings." Aang said.

"That's good. You're still alive." Lin said, as she grabbed a bar of soap and a sponge.

"Are you going to wash me?" Aang asked.

"Quiet, dear." Lin said, lathered the sponge with soap and began to wash Aang from head to toe.

"Thanks, for everything." Aang said.

"Don't mention it." Lin said, she turned the water temp higher, and continued to wash Aang.

"You can take a bath if you want." Aang said.

Lin raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm going to hell in a basket for this." She said, as she took her armor and clothes off.

Getting into the water, she positioned Aang to sit on her, their bodies flush with each other. As Lin continued to wash Aang clean, and Aang bended the water to clean Lin.

"Lets knock out two birds with one stone." Aang said.

For the moment, it was just the two of them. No war, no running from the fire nation. Just the two taking a bath and washing each other. Aang faced Lin and held her close.

"You're going to say something, say it." Lin said, seeing Aang's mouth open.

"I love you." Aang said.

Now Lin's jaw dropped. For a second she didn't know what to say.

"I love you too." Lin said, and Aang kissed her.

"I think we're done with the bath." Aang said.

"We are." Lin said, climbing out and putting on a bath robe.

When she was done, she carried Aang to the bed and put him down on the bed.

"How badly was I hurt?" Aang asked.

"You were killed. But Katara brought you back using the spirit water from the oasis." Lin said.

"Damn." Aang said, gripping his side in pain.

"Hold on. There's some medicine here used to treat intense burns. Odd that it's on a fire nation ship." Lin said, grabbing a large jug of a thick liquid. Coating her fingers in the liquid, she had Aang turn on his stomach and began to rub the liquid on his back.

"Wow. That really hits the spot." Aang said.

"I think that's enough. Anything you need from me?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. Now this will be a strange question, but here me out." Aang said.

"Sure thing." Lin said. They were in the cesspools of hell. Nothing could make it worse.

"Can I lick your feet?" Aang asked, and Lin laughed uncontrollably.

"Damn. You know how to break the tension." Lin said.

"Why would you ask that?" Lin asked.

"Okay. Remember when we got the posters for Appa?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. I remember." Lin said, sitting next to Aang.

"Well, I saw Momo licking Toph's feet, and I wondered how would yours taste like." Aang said.

Lin stopped laughing when she saw that Aang was serious about this.

"Are you serious?" Lin asked.

"Yeah." Aang said.

"Okay." Lin said, shrugging her shoulders. She took her shoes off and locked the door with metal-bending she hoped that would stop Toph. She did not want anyone to come in.

Lin straddled Aang and put her bare feet next to Aang's mouth. Aang wasted no time in running his tongue across the bottom of her feet, alternating between the left and right feet. Lin lay on her back between Aang's legs and kept her breathing calm. For some reason, it felt really good when Aang ran his tongue across her feet.

"Hey, if the two of you are done giving each other foot jobs, we need to talk about the current plan." Toph said, banging on the door.

"Well, fuck." Lin said.

"We can continue later." Aang said.

On deck, they talked about the current plan.

"Hello, Avatar. I'm Hakoda. Katara and Sokka's father." Hakoda said, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Aang said.

"Without the earth king's armies, we'll have to revise the invasion plan." Hakoda said.

"How?" Aang asked, taking a swig from a canteen. Lin had her eyes wide open in shock. She pitied the fool who was the next person to drink the water.

"We're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke." Sokka said, taking the water bottle and started to drink it.

Sokka then spat out the water.

"This taste terrible! Like someone dipped their feet into it." Sokka said.

"And how would you know what feet taste like?" Toph asked.

"I'm just guessing." Sokka said.

"Tell him about the secret we have." Lin said.

"Oh, right. The world thinks you're dead." Sokka said.

Aang did not take the news well.

"What?! The world thinks I'm dead?!" He asked.

"Yeah. And that means the fire nation won't be going after us, and won't be expecting you when the invasion happens." Sokka said.

"This is so messed up." Aang said.

A horn was heard, and a fire nation ship moved to intercept them. Aang opened his glider, wanting to fight.

"Are you stupid? You can't even open your glider without pain. You're not going to fight them at all." Lin said taking the glider away from Aang.

"Lin's right. We'll take care of this." Sokka said.

Aang grudgingly agreed to hide with everyone else, and watched as Hakoda and Bato tried to bluff their way past the captain of the incoming ship.

"It seems to be working." Lin said, as the captain and his two guards walked away from Hakoda.

"…I think this is a captured ship. Just stay quiet until we're safely across the ramp. Then we'll sink this ship!" the enemy captain said.

"They know!" Toph shouted. She metalbends the bridge off the ships and dumps the crew into the water.

Lin run forward, and using her metalbending, controls the ballista anti-ship weapons and fires them at the enemy warship. The sharp projectiles tear into the hull of the enemy ship and pierce the vulnerable underside, letting water flow in.

Katara than bends a mountain of water between both warships and pushes their pursuers away.

"They won't be able to follow us for far." Lin said, as she climbed to a ballista and aimed it at the enemy ship.

"What makes you say that?" Katara asked.

"Because look at the end of the arrow. When it goes thru the hull of an enemy ship, the tip opens up." Lin said, opening the arrow.

"And these things are retractable so…" Katara said.

"So a bigger hull is left after the arrow is pulled back. And the fire nation doesn't have waterbenders, and I fired the two ballista's as close as possible. They're in trouble now." Lin said.

Lin's words were proven right, as the enemy ship began to capsize.

"Thank god you're with us." Katara said.

"Indeed." Lin said.

The ship docked at a town and everyone went into town for some food.

"Hey, Aang. We're going into town for some dinner." Toph said.

"Well, I am pretty hungry. Maybe dinner's a good idea." Aang said.

"Here, tie this around your head. It'll cover your arrow." Sokka said, holding a red headband.

"I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly." Aang said.

"Aang, be reasonable." Sokka said.

"You guys go ahead without us. We'll catch up." Katara said.

Lin, Toph, and Sokka walked to the deck when Toph spoke.

"Hey, Lin. It must have felt good to have Aang worship your feet." Toph said.

"What are you talking about?" Sokka asked.

"Sokka, you want to know why the water tasted horrible?" Toph asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Sokka asked.

"Aang was licking his girlfriend's feet. From what I could tell, the two were enjoying it when I interrupted." Toph said.

"Aang drank the canteen and I…" Sokka said, when he realized what happened.

"AGHHH!" Sokka screamed, and grabbed a thick iron brush and began to scrape away his taste buds.

"Sokka, you're tearing your tongue to pieces." Lin said.

"That's because the water had your feet in it. Oh, gross!" Sokka said, still scraping away with the thick iron brush.

Coming back to the ship, Katara went into Aang's room and saw that it was empty.

"Oh no." She said, dropping the tray of food and running out to see her dad.

Lin went to the bow of the ship and looked at the dark clouds, noticing a full moon.

"Second time, you dumbass. You'll get yourself killed doing this." Lin said.

"So baldy has left." Toph said, approaching Lin.

"Yep. Second time. He's in no condition to go out by himself. He won't last long by himself out there." Lin said.

They found Aang washed up on the crescent island; the same island that Aang first meet Roku at. Lin wondered what would have happened if the volcano erupted. She didn't dwell on it, and walked to Aang.

"Good to see you're not dead." Lin said, smiling at him.


	37. Chapter 37 the headband

Ch 37 the headband

Lin looked over a rock formation and looked at the various clothes. Holding her hand up, she counted down from three to one, then motioned for the kids to steal the clothes. Lin quickly joined them and grabbed an assortment of clothes to wear as well.

With the new clothes on, they blended right in the fire nation. Lin cringed when Aang greeted people by the term 'hotman'. The term was clearly outdated by the past 100 years.

"We're going to a meat shop?" Aang asked.

"Come on, Aang. Everyone here eats meat. Even the meat eat meat." Sokka said, as a cow-hippo swallows a pile of fly-blown fish.

"No thanks. I'll get some lettuce out of the garbage." Aang said.

Lin pulled a face of disgust at that.

Lin was half-way thru her steak when she noticed Aang was missing. She stomped on the ground to use her seismic sense, but she still couldn't find Aang. She looked left and right, then quickly cut her steak into smaller hand held pieces with her knife via metalbending and put the pieces in a small bag.

Lin left the group and searched for Aang, while eating the meat from her bag. She wasn't one to waste her meals. Following her seismic sense, she found Aang as he was being led to a school.

"Figures. He grabs the clothes of a student." Lin muttered, and headed back to the cave.

"Where's Aang?" Katara asked.

"Out." Was all Lin said. Aang should explain the situation when he comes home.

And come home he did.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick." Katara said.

"Yeah. And you didn't go out to search for him." Lin replied, resting against the wall of the cave.

"I got invited to play with some kids after school." Aang said.

"After what?" Sokka asked, quickly standing up.

"I got enrolled in school." Aang said.

"Enrolled in what?!" Sokka asked, then keeled over.

Lin only chuckled at what was going on.

"You find this amusing, Lin?" Katara asked.

"I do." Toph said.

Sokka recovers and talks down Aang's idea.

"Aang, I'm not trying to shoot down your idea, but it sounds terrible." Sokka said.

"Yeah. We already got clothes. What do you need to go to school for?" Toph asked.

"Every minute I'm in that classroom. I'm learning new things about the fire nation. I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai." Aang said, showing a picture of the fire lord.

"It's still too dangerous." Sokka said.

"I guess we'll never find out about the secret river then. It goes right to the Fire Lord's palace. We were _supposed_ to learn about it in class tomorrow..." Aang said.

"I am a fan of secret rivers. Fine. Lets stay a few more days." Sokka said.

"Flamy-o, hotman!" Aang said in excitement, then ran out.

"Flamy-o?" Sokka asked.

Katara shrugged her shoulder in a 'I don't know manner.'

Lin only remembered when Korra and Mako broke up. She heard a commotion and walked into the office saying "What the flamy-o happened here?"

Next day, Aang came back with bad news.

"Guys, I need some help." Aang said.

"What is it?" Lin asked.

"I got in trouble at school, and I need to meet with the headmaster. He says he'll need to meet with my parents." Aang said.

"Good luck with that." Toph said.

"Exactly. But I have an idea. Katara and Sokka can come with me as my 'parents'." Aang said.

"What?" Sokka asked.

"It's the only way that'll work." Lin said.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka headed to the school for the meeting, while Toph and Lin stayed behind.

"Sokka chose a funny beard." Toph said.

"Where did he get the hair for all of that?" Lin asked.

When the trio came back, Sokka talked right in Aang's face.

"That's it. No more school for you, young man." Sokka said.

"I'm not ready to leave. I'm having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time." Aang said.

"Ha, ha." Toph mockingly said, causing Sokka to scowl.

"Listen, guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we wanna change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom." Aang said.

"Good idea." Lin said.

"What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?" Sokka asked.

"I'm going to throw them a secret dance party!" Aang said.

"That's a terrible idea." Lin said.

"Go to your room!" Sokka said, pointing deeper into the cave.

They spent the rest of the day getting the cave ready for the dance party. Lin remembered being told about the party and always wondered what convinced Aang to throw the party.

The students came in, and Lin looked over their heads in search for any potential threats. Finding none, she put away her Dao swords.

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Flamey-os! Yeah, this ought to get everybody moving." Aang said, as the music started playing.

"Now what do we do?" Shoji asked.

"Now you start dancing." Aang said.

"Maybe it's different in the colonies, Kuzon. But we don't do that here." Shoji said.

"Sure you do. You have for generations. It just so happens that I know several classic fire nation dances. A hundred years ago, this was known as "The Phoenix Flight." Aang said, running around in a circle, squatting and kicking his legs in the fashion of a folk dance.

"And this is the "Camelephant Strut." Aang said, hopping from one foot to the other, eventually somersaulting thru the air and landing in front of two girls. He somersaults backwards and lands on one foot.

"Who knew twinkle toes could dance?" Toph asked.

Lin downed her drink and quickly walked to Aang. If anything the police force taught her, is that you had to be aggressive and direct to claim your prize.

"Want to dance, Kuzon?" Lin asked.

Aang only smiled and started dancing with Lin. Lin stopped for a second.

"One minute. Got to get the right music." Lin said, and quickly headed to the band.

"I want a fast paced salsa." Lin said, and the band started to perform just that.

Aang and Lin started to dance to the rapid paced music, and the two just focused on each other.

"You can see the chemistry between the two. They dance as if they've been doing it forever." Toph said.

"I know." Katara said, slightly jealous.

Aang dipped Lin and upon lifting her, he twirled her around and continued the dance. It ended with the two in each other's arms, gazing into each other's eyes.

"Thanks for the dance." Lin said.

"Anytime." Aang said.

Lin sat down, and Katara danced with Aang.

"So, you enjoyed the dance?" Toph asked, sitting down from dancing with another student.

"I did. A bit tired though. Aang has plenty of energy for it." Lin said.

"Yeah. And you're conserving energy so you can continue the 'dance' with Aang in private, right?" Toph asked.

"Fuck you." Lin said.

"Nice. But you should save it for Aang. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to return the favor." Toph said.

Lin gripped her temple, at her ends wit with Toph's jabs. She quickly lifted her head and faced the entrance of the cave.

"We got company." Lin said.

As Katara and Aang finish the dance, Lin grabs Aang.

"We need to leave, now." Lin says, and pulls Aang to the back of the cave.

"Hey, wait up." Katara said, as she followed, Sokka and Toph following behind.

Aang creates two walls of rock to close the tunnel's entrance, preventing anyone from following.

"We're safe, Sokka. You can take the moustache off, now." Katara said.

"Oh no I can't. It's permanently glued to my face." Sokka said.

"Way to go, Dancypants. I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free." Toph said.

"It was just a dance." Aang said.

"It was more than that. You showed them a small piece of what we're fighting to protect. I admire that." Lin said.

"Thanks." Aang said.


	38. Chapter 38 the painted lady

Ch 38 the painted lady

Lin looked in disgust as Appa trudged thru the filthy water. Sokka was trying to fish from it, and Aang was swimming in it.

"Sokka, all the fish are dead. Aang, get out before you get some incurable disease." Lin said.

"We might find some food in a nearby town." Katara said.

"In this shit hole, doubt it." Lin said.

"Are you always so pessimistic?" Aang asked.

"Count on it." Lin said, as they walked onto land and approached a dock.

"Why is the town in the middle of this filth?" Lin asked.

"Because we're a fishing town. At least that's how it was before the factory moved in. The army makes their metal over there. Moved in a few years ago and started gunking up our river. Now the town is struggling to survive." Dock said, as he gave team avatar a ride to the village.

"Jesus." Lin said, as they saw the conditions. People were dying left and right.

"We have to do something to help." Katara said.

"We can't waste our time here. We have a bigger mission that we need to stay focused on. These people are on their own." Sokka said.

"How can you be so cold and heartless?" Katara asked.

"I'm being realistic. We'll do much more help when we take out the fire lord." Sokka said.

"Hey loudmouth, maybe you should shut it about taking out the fire lord." Toph hissed, covering Sokka's mouth.

The next morning, Lin was woken up to the sound of shouted.

"Appa's sick, that's terrible!" Sokka said.

"Wow, Sokka. I didn't know you cared." Toph said.

"Of course I care. I might as well throw away our schedule." Sokka said, earning glares from everyone else.

"And I'm concerned about my big fluffy friend." Sokka added, nuzzling Appa.

Aang pulled out Appa's tongue, and saw it was purple.

"Now that's odd." Lin said.

"This can't be good. Katara, can you heal him?" Aang asked.

"He needs medicine. We might be able to find it in the town." Katara said.

"If they can't fend for themselves, then I doubt they have medicine for Appa. Hell, he's been missing for 100 years. You think they'll have medicine for a flying bison, which have been extinct for a century?" Lin pointed out.

Still, they headed into the town and were surprised to see the people in a different mood. A more positive mood.

"Hey, Xu? What's going on? Why is everyone happy all of a sudden?" Sokka asked.

Xu finished his bowl of some strange drink, then answered.

"Something amazing happened last night. Food was delivered to our town by a mysterious and wonderful person. The painted lady." Xu said.

"The painted lady?" Katara asked.

"The painted lady. They say she's a river spirit, who watches over our town in need. Always thought it was a myth. Until now." Xu said.

"If she watches over the town in need? Why didn't she help you guys earlier? The truth. There is no painted lady. It's just superstition bought by people who've been bullshitted by the system." Lin said, earning a look by Katara, Xu, and Aang.

Arriving at camp, Aang pulled Lin aside.

"You really don't believe in the spirits?" Aang asked.

"No. They do exist, yes. I've seen it with my own eyes. But they don't help us at all. So in that regard, there is no painted lady, who would help them in need. Wake up, Aang. We're supposed to pay homage to the spirits, and they don't do shit for us. So they're just a bunch of sadists, watching us go thru hell while they sit up on their thrones, and do nothing. I've no use for that." Lin coldly said.

"But there's still good in this world." Aang said.

"There is good in this world, but it's brought by people. Aang, did the spirits stop the fire nation from killing your people? Did they stop Appa from being stolen? Did they stop the fire nation from killing Katara and Sokka's mothers? Did they stop the 100-year war from happening?! Hell, the moon and ocean spirits came to the mortal world, and paid the price for it!" Lin said.

Aang just looked at Lin.

"You have your beliefs, and I have mine. Just try and keep an open mind." Aang said.

"Right. Because that has worked well in the past." Lin bitterly said. She stood up and walked away from Aang, needing to collect her thoughts.

The next morning, she woke up to the sweet sound of yelling.

"I know you've been sneaking out at night. I know you've been lying about Appa, and I know you've been feeding him purple berries. Katara, you put our whole mission in jeopardy. We're leaving." Sokka said.

The sound of motor engines was heard in the distance. Everyone went to the ledge and saw jet skis heading towards the village.

"What did you do?" Sokka asked.

"I destroyed their factory." Katara said.

"You what?" Sokka asked.

"It was your idea!" Katara defended.  
"Did you even think this through? The army is going to blame the villagers and attack them." Sokka said.

"What was I supposed to do?" Katara asked.

"Leave. Leave and do nothing!" Sokka said.

"No! I will never turn my back on people who need me! I'm going to the village to help." Katara said.

"Wait." Sokka said, stopping her sister. "I'm coming to."

"I thought you didn't care." Katara said.

"You're my sister, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Sokka said.

The plan was set in motion. Aang and Katara headed to the village to confront the soldiers, Sokka played the flute, and Toph slammed a large boulder onto the ground.

"It's working." Lin said, as she watched Katara stand against the fire nation troops, their resolve slightly shaken by the ominous appearance of the painted lady.

Katara destroyed two of the jet skis, and when the leader attempted to fight Katara, he was thrown into the murky waters, and Katara hovered over him.

"Leave this village, and never come back." She said.

"I can't believe that worked." Lin said, as they met with Katara and Aang at the village.

"How dare you act like our painted lady!"

"You're a water bender!"

"She is a waterbender but she was trying to help you! Because of her, that factory won't be polluting your river again, and the army is gone. You should be on your knees thanking her!" Sokka said.

"You bastards would rather die by poisoning than accept another chance to live?" Lin asked.

"Look, it doesn't matter if the painted lady is real or not." Katara said.

"She's not real." Lin butted in.

"Your problems are real. And this river is real. You can't wait around for someone to help you, you have to help yourselves." Katara said.

"And what she said, proved my point last night." Lin said to Aang.

"You're right. But what can we do?" someone asked.

Lin rolled her eyes in response.

"Maybe we should clean the river." Toph said, quickly appearing in the crowed, lowering her voice.

"That's right. We should clean the river." Xu said.

Lin watched as they spent the rest of the day cleaning the river, aided by Katara and Aang's waterbending. If only Tenzin was here, seeing her beliefs. She never did tell Tenzin she was an atheist.


	39. Chapter 39 Sokka's master

Ch 39 Sokka's master

Lin lay on her back, watching a meteor shower with her friends. Having lived in Republic City her whole live, she rarely got to see such an event, as the bright lights of the city often drowned out the night stars.

"Kinda makes you realize how insignificant we are." Sokka said.

 _You've no idea. I saw the devil himself at one point._ Lin thought, remembering when UnaVaatu attacked the city. For some reason, whenever they started to rebuild republic city, another war always hits the damn place.

"Hell of a view." Katara said.

"It is." Lin said, as her hand grabbed Aang's.

Looking at each other, Aang noticed the night sky cast a hue across Lin. Aang observed her figure, noting she looked more beautiful than before. Leaning forward, he captured her lips with his, and the two started to passionately make out, much to the consternation of their friends.

"Can you two take your oogies somewhere else?" Sokka asked, resulting in Lin raising her hand, flipping Sokka off.

"Oh, real mature." Katara said.

"Look at this." Sokka said, standing up.

Aang and Lin broke their kissing session and looked up just in time to see a large meteor fly over their heads and crash into the ground.

"The fire's going to destroy the town!" Katara said.

"No shit." Lin replied.

Quickly springing into action, they set to put out the fire. More like Lin, Toph, Katara, and Aang put the fire out. Even Momo put out the embers quicker than Sokka could.

"These people have no idea how close they were to being toast." Aang said.

"I know. And the worst part of being in disguise is that you don't get the hero worship anymore. I miss the love." Toph said.

"Boohoo, poor heroes." Sokka sarcastically said.

"What's your problem, you haven't even touched your smoked sea slug." Katara said.

"All you guys can do this awesome bending stuff. Like putting out a forest fire and flying around. I can't do any of that stuff." Sokka lamented.

"That's not true. No-one can read a map like you." Katara said.

"I can't read at all." Toph said.

"Yeah. And who keeps us laughing with sarcastic comments all the time?" Aang asked.

The group meant well, but they only made Sokka's attitude worse.

"Look, I appreciate the effort. The fact is, each of you is so amazing and so special. I'm not." Sokka said.

Katara sat down next to her brother and talked to him.

"I'm sorry you're feeling down on yourself. But I hope you know that none of us see you that way." She said.

"I know something that's gonna make you feel better." Katara said with energy.

"You do?" Sokka asked.

In the blink of an eye, they found themselves inside a weapons shop. Lin immediately eyed a Kantana sword and took it.

"That fits you." Aang said, as he grabbed a hefty spear.

"Lesson about using weapons. Make sure you can wield them. You need strength to use them, and the endurance. You got endurance, but not strength." Lin said, putting the spear away and giving Aang a sword, shorter than hers.

Aang pulled the sword out and held it in front of him, holding it with one hand.

"Problem. Hold it with both hands. Better control and handling." Lin said, standing behind Aang and putting her hands and arms over his.

"Remember. The sword is an extension of yourself." Lin said, as she moved Aang's hands in a simple motion.

"An extension of yourself." Aang said, when he noticed something. He tossed the sword aside and headed to a bulky set of armor.

"There goes my chance to be close to him. So much for swordplay." Lin muttered, as she saw Aang walk forward in the armor.

"What is that?" Lin asked.

"A huge set of armor." Aang said.

"It looks very impractical to be used in combat." Lin said, and winced as Aang fell inside the armor, slamming on the floor.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Sokka said, taking a look at a sword.

"You have a good eye. Swordsman Piandao made it." The owner said.

"That's what you need Sokka." Aang said.

"A sword?" Sokka asked.

"A master. We all had masters to teach us. You should train with Piandao." Aang said.

Lin wondered why they didn't take the time to prepare for this. They spent plenty of time in the earth kingdom. Should have prepared then.

Surprisingly, Sokka was accepted. With him spending his time learning the sword, the group was grounded.

"Hey, Lin. You want to teach me more about handling a sword?" Aang asked.

"Aang, what do you need to know about using a sword?" Katara asked, suspicious.

"Knowing more than bending will give him an edge against his opponents." Lin said, looking at the map, her eyes on edge.

"Makes sense. Come back when you're done 'playing' with each other." Toph said, laying on the ground.

Away from the group, Lin spoke to Aang.

"I am so going to murder her." Lin said.

"Then you won't exist." Aang said.

"I know." Lin said, and handed Aang her sword.

Aang took the sword and began to swing it at Lin, in an attempt to fight her. Lin easily dodged Aang's half-hazard attacks and grabbed his left hand and twisted it, the sword falling out. Aang attempted to hit Lin with his right hand, but Lin caught that as well. She twisted Aang around and tied his hands around his back and forced him on his knees.

Lin walked around Aang, eyeing him as if he was their prey.

"Okay, you won. Now what?" Aang asked.

Lin held Aang's head still, forcing him to look at her.

"Hey, if the two of you are done with your foreplay, we got hot chow ready!" Toph said.

"Goddamn it!" Lin shouted.

Every time she wanted to get close to Aang, it was always ruined. First, the asteroid. Then, Aang noticed the armor. Now, Toph interrupted them.

"You okay?" Aang asked, as Lin took off the bindings.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Lin curtly said, as her right eyebrow twitched in anger.

"You look a little stressed." Aang said.

"We're in the middle of the fire nation. Of course I'm on edge." Lin said.

"You're more on edge than usual. Maybe you should rest in a spa." Aang said, as they headed back to camp.

 _Yes, exactly what we need. The two of us alone, in a hot spa, skin and bodies against each other…_

"Damn, Lin. You might want to get your thoughts under control." Toph said.

"Are you a mind reader?" Lin asked Toph.

"No. But I can feel your body quaking, your heart beating rapidly, and your eyes are scanning ahead of you as if you're searching for threats. Something's occupying your mind." Toph said.

"Don't worry about that. I'm sure Aang can help calm her mind." Katara bitingly said.

"You have something to say to me?" Lin asked, as she stabbed the sword into the earth.

"Sokka's back!" Toph said, averting a bloody fight between Katara and Lin.

Sokka had them help take the asteroid to Piandao's house, where they began construction of Sokka's unique sword.

"Who are they?" Piandao asked, seeing Sokka's friends next to him.

"Just some friends. Some good friends form the fire nation colonies." Sokka said, prompting Lin to roll her eyes.

Piandao eyed them and knew they weren't from the fire nation or its colonies, but let them in. A week passed and Sokka worked hard to build his personal sword.

The sword was ready, and Piandao presented it.

"I'm sorry. I can't. I'm not from the fire nation colonies. I'm from the southern water tribe, and my friends are not from the colonies." Sokka said.

Everyone winced as Sokka spilled the truth.

"I'm sorry too." Piandao said, pulling out his own sword. Everyone jumped up to stop Piandao, but Sokka waved them down.

"This is my fight." Sokka said.

They watched as the fight started, then progressed across the courtyard. Sokka jumped to higher ground, used the tree branches as additional weapons, and anything he could to stay one step ahead of Piandao.

"Strange. He's not trying to kill him. Must be the final test." Lin said.

"Not trying to kill him?" Katara asked, incredulous.

"Yes. If he wanted to, Sokka would be dead long before the fight went into full swing.

Sokka ran into the courtyard screaming. He ducked as Piandao swung to cut his head off, and stabbed the ground, then swung the sword out of the ground, blinding Piandao with the dirt.

"Very resourceful." Piandao said.

Sokka quietly stepped to the side, but when he stepped on a twig, Piando reacted. Sokka was knocked to the ground, and had a sword pointed at his throat.

"Excellent work, Sokka." Piandao said, putting his sword away. "I'm a little old to be fighting the avatar."

"How did you know?" Aang asked.

"I've been around. You pick up certain things after a while. Of course, I knew none of you were from the fire nation or its colonies. You might want to try using a better fire nation name. Try Lee. There's millions of Lee's around." Piando said.

"Why would you train Sokka?" Katara asked.

"The way of the sword doesn't belong to one nation, much like knowledge doesn't belong to any one nation." Piandao said.

"Were you going to hurt Sokka?" Aang asked.

"No. The final test is always a duel between the master and the student. And Sokka passed." Piandao said.

Leaving the mansion, the butler approached Sokka.

"Master Piandao wanted you to have this." He said, handing Sokka a little bag.

Opening the bag, they found a lone pai sho piece.

"A pai sho piece." Aang said.

Lin grabbed the piece, and looked at it. She then looked at the mural on the gate and her eyes widened.

"Lin?" Aang asked.

"The white lotus piece. He's a member of the white lotus. I'll tell you later." Lin said.


	40. Chapter 40 combustion man and warning

Ch 40 combustion man and warning

The group was next to a lake, enjoying the calm if only for a few hours. Lin swam with them when she heard Toph.

"Aang, I know swimming is fun and all, but you need to cover yourself." Toph said.

"What? I'm wearing trunks." Aang said.

"I know… it's your tattoos I'm worried about. What if someone sees you?" Toph asked.

"There are walls all around us. It's completely safe." Katara said.

"If I had a gold piece every time I heard that, I'd be a fucking billionaire right now. We're in the heart of the fire nation. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a patrol a few yards from us." Lin said.

"Aang, wait!" Lin shouted, reaching out to him, but it was too late. Aang went into the rapids and down the tunnel. After a few minutes, Aang reappeared to the rest of the group.

"Did you see anything else?" Lin asked.

"I didn't see anything. I'm perfectly fine. You should come with me." Aang said.

"No thanks, I'll pass." Lin said.

That night, they slept peacefully, when Toph woke up.

"Guys, you're going to think I'm crazy, but it feels like a metal man is coming."

Waking up, they looked at a lone figure standing on the cliff ahead of them, looking down at them.

"Fuck me." Lin said.

"Hey Aang, that's an invitation from Lin." Toph sarcastically said.

Combustion man fires at the group, barely missing Aang. The shot hits the nearby cliff and explodes. Everyone is knocked back from the explosion, and quickly retaliates. Lin and Toph use their earth bending against combustion man; Toph bends a large herd of rocks towards the attacker, while Lin levitates a large boulder and fires earth bullets in an automatic fashion from the boulder, but both are useless as combustion man fires another beam at the group.

Katara attempts to use her waterbending, but that is also defeated.

"This is crazy! How can we beat a guy who blows shit up with his mind?" Sokka asked.

"We can't! Jump on Appa. I'll try to distract him." Aang said.

Getting on Appa, they flew away and watched as Aang and combustion man duke it out, the explosions dotting the landscape within the many pillars that dotted the ground. An explosion occurred mid-air, and Aang fell into the saddle.

"I'm okay." Aang said, out of breath.

Lin wrapped him in her arms, and began to pat him down for any wounds.

"What are you doing?" Aang asked, as she continued to search for wounds.

"You still have adrenaline going thru you. Any wounds you might have, won't be felt for the next few minutes." Lin said.

"That was random." Toph said.

"I don't think so. I get the feeling he knows where we are." Katara said.

Lin quickly pinned Aang to the saddle and slapped him, hard.

"You stupid motherfucker! You disappeared from us for a few minutes, which was enough time for a message to get out that you're still alive! I know who attacked us. He's a combustion bender. Very powerful, very tough to fight, let alone kill. I've fought one before, and she almost had me dead to rights. And if it wasn't for the soldier with me who got a lucky shot, I'd be dead." Lin said.

"There must be some way stop combustion man." Aang said.

Lin only cynically laughed.

"Some way? We'll be lucky to avoid him." Lin said.

"Okay. Get off of me." Aang said.

"Not until you understand what the consequences will be." Lin said.

Aang bit Lin's hand, but she didn't move, let alone cry out in pain.

"I doubt that combustion man feels pain. I do. Don't do that again. Listen, and understand! That combustion bender is out there! He can't be bargained with. He can't be reasoned with. He doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And he absolutely will not stop, _ever_ , until we are dead!" Lin said.

"I understand." Aang weakly said, and Lin dismounted from him.

"Can you… can you kill him?" Sokka asked, as a heavy silence descended on the group.

"We're in no condition to fight him. So I doubt we'd be able to kill him in the next encounter." Lin said.


	41. Chapter 41 the runaway

Ch 41 the runaway

Aang put on a blindfold and felt thru seismic sense his opponents. Katara, Toph, Lin, and Sokka.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Facing Katara and Toph, Toph bends several columns of earth at Aang, who avoids them. Katara attacks with a water whip, which Aang also evades. Lin brings up a line of rocks, and fires them at Aang.

Aang quickly dodges the new attack, and hurling two boulders; one at Lin, and the other at Toph.

"Good job, twinkle toes. Visualize, then attack!" Toph said, propelling the boulder back at Aang.

Aang corkscrews himself into the ground, and the boulder flies overhead and into Katara.

"Maybe you should take your own advice, Toph." Katara said.

"What's the matter? Can't handle a little dirt, madam fussy britches?" Toph said.

Katara then drenches Toph in a wave of water.  
"Oh, sorry. Did I splash you, mudslug?" Katara retorted.

Snapping, both of them careened towards each other on ramps of earth and ice and upon collision, are sent flying to the ground.

"Are we taking a break?" Aang asked.

"Sneak attack!" Sokka yelled, running towards Aang, who promptly raises a pillar of earth to stop Sokka.

"Sokka, sneak attacks don't work if you scream it out loud." Aang said, and is quickly tackled to the ground by Lin.

"That's how a sneak attack works. You hit your enemy when they're least expecting it." Lin said, pinning Aang to the ground.

"Where's Katara and Toph?" Sokka asked.

The trio went to see the two benders fighting each other in the mud.

"Uh guys, I thought we were supposed to be training me." Aang said.

The two quit their fight that second.

"Very well, pupil. I believe we've had enough training for today." Katara said.

Lin face-palmed herself. That was the worst attempt of salvaging what shred of dignity you had left.

"While Katara cleans herself up, lets go have some fun." Toph said.

Inside the town, Sokka takes notice of one of the messenger hawks.

"Look at all those messenger hawks. You know, I've been thinking about getting one for myself. That way, I wouldn't have to talk to anyone... I could just send them messages!" Sokka said.

"I gotta say, I like the idea of not talking to you." Toph joked.

"So what do you want to do with our last silver piece?" Aang asked.

"We can use it to get more money." Toh said, pointing to a street below, where they saw a con man swindling money from those foolish to play his games.

They approached the man, and he notices them.

"You there. Want to play a friendly game?" he asked.

"How can I play? I'm blind." Toph says.

"You don't have to see to be lucky." The con man says.

Toph hands him their last silver piece, and points to the right shell when the dealer finishes moving the shells.

"Would you like to make this more interesting?" he asked.

"How?" Toph asked.

"Throw in your friend's fancy swords, and we'll do it for 40 pieces of silver." The man said.

"Make it 60." Toph said, grabbing Lin and Sokka's swords. The dealer moves the shells at a rapid and furious pace, but Toph is 10 steps ahead of him. When the shells stop moving, she points to one shell.

"Sorry little lady but… Huh?" the dealer asks, as he sees a rock, where it shouldn't have been.

"I won!" Toph says, taking the large bag of money.

Arriving back at camp, they dumped large contents of food at Katara's feet.

"Where did you get the money for all of this stuff?" Katara asked.

"We have our methods." Lin smirked.

"Toph got us money. She scammed one of the guys who move the shells all sneaky like." Aang said, eating an apple.

"Ah. So she cheated." Katara said.

"If I recall correctly, you stole a waterbending scroll from those pirates, and nearly had us all killed because of it." Lin pointed out.

Katara had no response.

"Take notice guys. When the cold truth is in your face, your true self is revealed." Lin said, eating some peaches.

"Katara, I'll make you an avatar promise that we won't make a habit of doing these scams." Aang said.

Avatar promises weren't worth much, as Lin accompanied Aang, Toph, and Sokka in more of the scams. She watched as Toph rigged a dice game, a strong-man completion, and extorted a merchant after tricking him into thinking he'd ran over Toph.

Lin soon quit accompanying them, but also bought some more bladed weapons. 4 knives to put on her shoes, two on her waist, and another kantana sword.

"That's a lot of weapons." Katara said.

"Considering what we're up again, I'll need everything I can get a hold off." Lin said, as she began to sharpen her knives via metalbending.

Later in the day, Toph and Sokka come back, arms loaded with money.

"Well, look who decided to join us. Where have you two been? Off scamming again?" Katara asked.  
"Yes, we were." Toph said.  
"And I suppose you don't think what you're doing is dangerous at all?" Katara asked.  
"No, I don't." Toph said.  
"Really?" Katara asked.  
"Yes, really." Toph replied.  
"Well then, what's this?" Katara asked, pulling out a wanted poster of Toph.

"I'm blind! Seriously!" Toph exasperatingly says.

"It's a wanted poster of you. "The Runaway". Is that what you're called now? Are you proud of this?" Katara asked.  
"Where did you get that?!" Toph angrily asked.  
"It doesn't matter where I got it. The fact is..." Katara said.  
"You went through my stuff! You had no right." Toph said.  
"Your stuff was messy, and I was just straightening up and I happened to stumble across it." Katara said

"That's a lie! You're _lying_ , Katara." Toph said.  
Lin tapped Aang's shoulder, and motioned him to follow her. The two walked a bit away from the campsite.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Aang asked.

"It is." Lin said.

"Fine! It's a lie. But you've been so out of control lately, I knew something was up. I knew you were hiding something, and you were. Don't you walk away from me while I'm talking to you!" Katara says, as Toph walks away.  
"Oh, really, _Mom_? Or what are you going to do? Send me to my room?" Toph bitingly asked.  
"I wish I could." Katara said.  
"Well, you _can't_. Because you're not my mom, and you're not _their_ mom." Toph said, pointing to Sokka and…

Sokka just looked at the empty spot where Aang was.

"Where's Aang?" Sokka asked.

"Whatever. I never said I was." Katara said.

"That's a load of bull. You certainly act like it. You know what, I can't be around you." Toph said.

"I can't be around you!" Katara said, and the two stormed off in opposite directions.

Still later, Lin, Aang, and Sokka watched as Toph and Katara sat on opposite ends of the campsite.

"Hey, Aang. I have an idea. I'll send a note to Katara and say it's from Toph." Sokka said.

"Sounds like a good idea." Aang said.

Sokka wrote the note, and send it to Katara.

"Oh shit. I just forgot." Lin said, running her hand down her face.

"Forgot what?" Aang asked.

"I _know_ this is from you, Sokka. Toph _can't write_. Ugh, you're all driving me crazy!" Katara said.

"That." Lin said.

"I can't believe we forgot Toph couldn't write." Aang said.

"Yup. We're idiots." Sokka said.

"Maybe we can send a message to Toph." Aang said.

"That won't work. We'll get an even worse response." Lin said.

"Sorry, Hawky. Looks like I'm gonna have to do this without your help." Sokka said, and walked to Toph. "Come on, we need to talk."

That night, Katara and Toph met.

"I was the one being stupid. You were right. These scams are getting way out of hand." Toph said.

"Actually, I wasn't going to apologize. I was going to say…I want to pull a scam with you!" Katara said.

"What? You want to pull a scam?" Toph asked.

"Not just any scam. The ultimate scam! What do you say Toph? Just me and you…one last go. You in?" Katara asked.

"I'm in. What's this idea of yours?" Toph asked.

Aang and Sokka just collapsed on the ground, stupefied.

Next morning, Toph and Katara went to the town to enact their scam. The hours passed by, and everyone else was getting worried.

"Do you think this scam of theirs should be taking this long?" Aang asked.

"I was just wondering the same thing. We'd better check it out. You two behave. Appa's in charge." Sokka said to Hawkeye and Momo.

Entering the town, they noticed it was empty. Lin pulled out her sword, ready for a fight.

"Stay frosty, guys." Lin said, relying on her seismic sense to spot any threats.

The sword in her hand vibrated, and her seismic sense told her of combustion man. Aang felt the same thing, as his hair buzzed.

"Get down!" Lin yelled, tackling the two boys and hiding behind a statue of Ozai.

"Run!" Sokka yelled, as combustion man continues his unrelenting assault.

The trio hide behind an upright stand, waiting for the next attack.

"This guy is too good. He shoots fire from his brain!" Sokka said.

"We should split up." Aang said.

Separating, Aang draws combustion man's attention, and is thrown towards the statue from an explosion by combustion man. Aang falls to the ground, and looks up to see combustion man approach to finish the coup de grace. Combustion man screams in pain, as a knife is embedded where his kidneys are.

Lin appears out of nowhere, and slashes upwards on his back with her sword. Ignoring the pain, combustion man grabs Lin, and throws her to the ground, intent on finishing her off. A chunk of ice suddenly encases his head. He stumbles away, revealing Katara and the gang behind her.

"Get up!" Katara said, picking up Aang.

The gang flees, but not before combustion man shatters his ice muzzle. Fighting the immense pain, he gets ready to fire at them. Toph bends a rock towards him, and the rock and the fireblast connect. A surviving pebble from the rock hits his tattoo, and he clutches his head in pain. Attempting one more time, the bending backfires, and sends him flying into a building.

"Hey, I got it. Combustion man." Sokka said.

"No shit. He's a combustion bender. That's what I told you before." Lin said.

Landing on a new campground, everyone gets off of Appa for bed.

"Katara, I need your help." Toph said.  
"What is it, Toph?" Katara asked.  
"I need you to write some things down for me. I want to send a letter to my parents." Toph said.  
"I'll be happy to help." Katara said.

After writing the letter, she puts it on Hawky, and sends the messenger hawk to the earth kingdom.

"Hey, where'd Hawky go?" Sokka asked.


	42. Chapter 42 the puppet master

Ch 42 the puppet master

Were they behind schedule? Yes. Did anyone seem to care? No.

That was Lin's thoughts, as they sat around the campfire at night telling stories. The so-called scary stories didn't hold a candle to anything she experienced. She was blood-bent by the corrupt Tarrlok. She had her bending taken away by Amon. She saw the devil itself, right in the harbor of republic city. She was almost killed by P'li. Fought against Kuvira and her giant mecha suit. But of all those horrors, the blood-bending and having her own bending taken away haunted her the most.

"Ooh aghhhh!" Sokka shouted, in a high pitched voice.

"Did you ever hit puberty?" Lin absently asked, as she ran her hand thru Aang's hair and massaged his shoulders.

"You have any scare stories to tell?" Toph asked.

"From my own experiences, fighting in the police force." Lin said, her voice then taking a dark tone.

"Imagine being blood-bent. Where someone can reach inside your body, and control it at their will. They can kill you, torture you, anything. And you can't do a damn thing about it. And the pain…is like none other.

Imagine an enemy who can take your own bending away. Something that's part of yourself, gone in the blink an eye. Try to bend your element, but nothing happens. And you'll never get it back. I've seen people commit suicide because of it.

Imagine, seeing the very devil himself, attacking the city you swore to protect, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Nothing

Imagine, fighting a mad man, who also has airbending, much like Aang. But he's a killer. He can take the air right out of your lungs, nothing you can do about it.

Imagine, fighting the leader of a country, once allied, but now enemy, in the span of 3 years. Said leader has a giant mecha suit, 250 feet tall. Once again, it is impervious to anything you throw it.

That's the horror's I've faced. Sheer terror and helplessness." Lin said.

No-one spoke, completely frightened of what she said.

"Guys, did you hear that?" Toph asked, scaring Aang and Sokka.

"I heard people under the mountain. They were screaming." Toph said.

"Nice try." Sokka said.

Lin slammed her foot on the ground, and 'saw' the same thing.

"She's right. I'm seeing it too. People under the mountain, screaming in agony." Lin said, grabbing her sword.

"You two are probably just jumpy about the stories." Katara said.

"I'm seeing the same thing Toph is. That's no fucking coincidence." Lin said, fully standing up, sword in hand.

'Now, I'm getting scared." Aang said, and was pulled into Lin's protective embrace.

"Hello, children."

Everyone screamed, and Lin turned to face their attacker, still holding Aang in front of her.

"Sorry to frighten you."

An old woman appeared out of nowhere, having a smile on her face. It reminded Lin of Joo Dee.

"My name is Hama. You shouldn't be out here by yourself. I have an inn nearby, why don't you come have spice tea and warm beds?" Hama asked.

"Yes please." Sokka said.

 _Thank god. I can get some sleep tonight. Maybe more than sleep with Aang…_

At the inn, Hama told them that people were disappearing.

"When the moon turns full, people walk in, and they don't come out." Hama slowly said. "Who wants more tea?" she suddenly asked.

Everyone was too scared to say otherwise. Lin didn't want to see anymore live nightmares at the moment. She had enough for a while.

As the group headed to their rooms, Lin shoved Aang onto the bed and straddled him.

Aang didn't get to ask when Lin crashed her lips against his.

"Just some pent-up tension I want out." Lin said, kissing Aang and grinding her hips against his.

Later that night, Lin couldn't sleep. The nightmare of having her bending taken away was plaguing her.

"No!" She shouted, waking up in a mad sweat.

"Lin, what's wrong?" Aang asked, grabbing her.

Lin slowly turned her head to face Aang, a blank expression on her face. She had the thousand-yard stare.

"Lin. Tell me what happened." Aang said, pulling her close to him.

Swallowing, Lin spoke.

"I saw them, Aang. Amon, Tarrlok, the red lotus, all the serious threats to republic city."

Lin curled into a fetus position and began to sob as Aang held her close to him.

"Lin, it's okay. You're here now. I'm with you." Aang said.

"I know, but…" Lin said.

"I remember you helping me with my nightmares. Let me help you." Aang said.

"I don't want to go thru that again." Lin whispered.

"I won't let that happen. I promise." Aang whispered back.

Laying on the bed, Aang pulled the covers over the both of them, and wrapped his arms and legs around Lin.

Next morning, they went into town to do some shopping. She was absently staring into space when she heard Sokka and Aang speak.

"Weird stuff during the full moon. People disappearing. This reeks of spirit shenanigans." Sokka said.

"I bet if we walk around town, we'll find what the people did to anger the spirits." Aang said.

"And you can solve this, really quick." Sokka said.

"Helping people. It's what I do." Aang said.

"You're in a country who wants your head on a platter. Don't be so full of yourself." Lin said.

The conversation was cut short as Hama asked them to return to the inn because she 'had to run some errands.' Lin didn't believe her one second.

Inside the inn, Lin headed to her and Aang's room and grabbed all the weapons she had. She walked out and gave a short sword to Aang.

"What's this for?" Aang asked, as Sokka opened a closet, and a bunch of dolls came out, prompting Sokka to pull out his sword and point it at them.

"Now that's creepy." Lin said.

"So she has a hobby. Nothing wrong about that. Sokka. That's enough." Katara said, as Sokka continued to snoop around.

"Then why does she have a hidden and locked closet up here?" Katara asked.

"Maybe it's filled with treasure." Toph said. Sokka's eyes went wide with excitement.

"Lovely." Lin sarcastically said, as she went downstairs and waited for Hama to return.

Hama walked down the hallway, and Lin hid behind an open door, hiding in the shadows. Hama stood still for a second, as if sensing something was off. Lin put her hand over her mouth to stifle her breathing, and silently grabbed the hilt of her knife. Hama continued walking forward to the attic.

"Thank god." Lin whispered.

At dinner, Aang leaned over to Toph.

"Stay clear of the 'sea prunes'." Aang said.

"I thought they were ocean kumquats." Toph said.

"Close enough." Aang said.

Hama waterbended extra soup into everyone's bowls, and told them she was the last waterbender from the southern tribe. She told them of how she was captured, but didn't reveal how she escaped. Lin raised an eyebrow at that. That was a closely guarded secret, and Lin racked her memories to remember what she was told of Hama.

Nothing came to mind.

Lin wanted nothing better to do than to leave the town. The eeriness brought back painful memories, memories that she wished she could deeply repress. Then she'd have to undergo an acupuncture treatment, and relive all those horrible memories again. God, how she hated it all.

"Did you get a look at the spirit that captured you?" Aang asked, getting her attention.

Right. They were confronting a witness/victim.

"Didn't see no spirit. Just felt something come over me." The old man said.

"Like I was possessed! Forced me to start walking towards the mountain!"

Lin looked at the mountain, and felt a sense of dread and terror come from the mountain.

"I tried to fight it, but I couldn't control my own limbs! Was almost in a cave, and I looked at the moon for what I thought would be my last glimpse of light…"

Sokka seemed to find it relatable to a horror story. They truly had no idea how horrifying it was.

"But then, the sun started to rise… and I got control of myself! I just high-tailed it as quick out of the mountain as I could!"

"Why would a spirit want to take a person to a mountain?" Sokka asked.

"It's no spirit!" Lin said, turning to the mountain, her eyes hardened.

"I did hear people screaming under the mountain. The missing villagers must still be there!" Toph said.

Wasting on time, they headed to the mountain, descended inside, and opened the door.

"We're saved!" a prisoner said.

Lin looked at the prison, and noticed its brutal stench. Many of the people were on the verge of starvation and dehydration.

"Who did this?" Lin asked.

"It was a witch."

Lin snorted in response.

"She seems like a regular old woman, but she's dark and evil."

"Hama!"

Running thru the woods and top speed, she pulled out her sword in preparation for a fight.

"Give up, Hama! You're outnumbered!" Aang said.

"You just outnumbered yourselves." Hama darkly said.

Lin felt the familiar sensation of being blood-bend, and this time she was ready. Using her earth-bending, she pinned her right arm and legs to the ground, but Hama could still control her body.

Lin sharply gasped in pain, as her body tried to move out of the earth cuffs. She watched as Katara was forced to fight both Sokka and Aang. The pain in her body was more than enough to bare, and she screamed in agony.

Hama tossed Aang and Sokka at Katara, and headed to Lin. A malicious smile was on her mouth, as she planned on torturing her.

"Come and get it." Lin growled thru the pain.

Lin aimed a knife at Hama, but then sees the knife move towards her neck.

 _That bitch is going to make me kill myself!_

Eyes wide with terror, Lin tries to stop the unwanted effects, but the grip is too strong. Suddenly, the bloodbending stops, and Lin no longer feels the damning pain. Looking up, she sees Hama's face contorted in surprise.

Lin sees Katara bloodbend Hama to her knees, and she's arrested by the villagers who arrive with Toph.

"Lin!" Aang shouts, as he frees her from the earth binds.

"God, that was horrible." Lin says, as she vomits.

"Lin, I'm sorry." Aang said, holding her.

"For what?" Lin asked.

"I should have stopped this from happening." Aang said.

"Aang, we didn't know Hama was a blood-bender. Had we known, you think I would have let her live this long?" Lin asked.

"Congratulations, Katara. You're a blood-bender." Hama sinisterly says, laughing as she's drawn away.

Lin stands up and approaches the old waterbender. Brandishing her sword, she pushes past the civilians and runs her blade thru Hama's back. The villagers look in surprise as Lin pulls away the sword, leaving Hama's body to drop dead.


	43. Chapter 43 nightmares and daydreams

Ch 43 nightmares and daydreams

"We made it." Sokka said, looking at the map.

"You sure?" Katara asked.

"I'm sure. This is the spot my dad and I picked out before we separated." Sokka said.

"Nice choice, Sokka. We're four days ahead of schedule." Katara said.

"Four days?" Lin asked, not believing them. From all the stops and pitfalls they've taken, they should have been behind schedule.

"Four days?!" Aang asked, in a panic.

"The invasion is in four days?!" he continued.

"Yeah. That's four days from now." Sokka said, falling asleep.

"Sounds like a good plan." Lin said, falling asleep as well.

Aang just looked at the group, wondering how they could just sleep when the invasion was four days away. Rather than stay awake, he lay next to Lin, and fell asleep.

Lin woke up, and saw Aang ferociously punching a tree.

"How are the hands?" Lin asked.

"Doing fine." He said, not breaking step.

"There's such a thing as over training." Lin said, as Aang hit the tree one final time and fell to the ground.

Quickly standing up, Aang circled Lin as if she were his prey. Lin only looked amused. There was no way Aang could fight Lin in his condition.

"You don't get it. My form is bad. I'm sloppy. And I still don't know firebending." Aang said.

"And this sleep deprivation is taking a lot more than your forms and training." Lin sarcastically said.

"That's okay, Aang. The eclipse will block out the firebending. Plus, it's a stupid element." Sokka said.

"The great fire nation general, Sun Tzu, said that if you know yourself and your enemies, in 100 battles you will never be in trouble." Lin said.

"That's great, but I need to practice." Aang said, getting on his air scooter and riding away from the group.

"He's lost it, hasn't it?" Katara asked.

"He has." Lin said.

That night, Lin woke up to see Aang circling some Kola-sheep.

"Aang, what are you doing?" Lin asked.

"I forgot my pants and my math test." Aang said.

Lin sighed and shook her head. She didn't have time for this shit. She wrapped metal around her hand, grabbed Aang and knocked him out.

"Maybe that'll clear his head." Lin said.

Next morning, Aang woke up.

"Sokka, get up! I need to know what day it is!" Aang said.

"It's two days before the invasion." Lin said, waking up.

"Sokka, you got to get up and practice your rock climbing skills!" Aang said.

"Rock-climbing skills?" Lin asked, drinking some water.

"In one of my dreams, you were running from some fire nation soldiers, but you were to slow and they got you." Aang said.

Lin only chuckled at that.

"But that was just a dream. I'm a great climber." Sokka said.

"Then climb that cliff. Climb it fast!" Aang said, pointing to a rather steep and large cliff.

As Sokka began to climb the cliff, Aang spotted Toph drinking some water.

"Don't drink that!" Aang yelled at Toph, who spat it out on Katara

"Is it poisoned?" Toph asked.

"In my dream, we were right in the middle of the invasion, and you had to stop to use the bathroom. We died because of your tiny bladder." Aang said.

Lin couldn't help but laugh as Aang slowly lost his mind.

As the sun went down, Aang spoke to the group.

"It's like every time I think about how stressed I am, I just end up more stressed." Aang said.

"No shit. The more you think about something, the more often said something occurs." Lin said.

"Of course. You got to fight the fire lord." Sokka said.

"Sokka, that's not helping." Katara said.

Katara approached Aang and dragged him away.

"You think Katara's plan will work?" Toph asked.

"No." Lin said, eating a peach.

Katara came back with Aang. The de-stressing treatment was unsuccessful. So Aang talked to Sokka, who wore his beard, acting as a psychiatrist.

"Why don't you get right down to business and tell me what's been bothering you." Sokka said.

"I have to fight the fire lord in two days." Aang said.

Lin couldn't help but draw similarities to when she was at Zauof. She was ill from all the stress, and had to go see an acupuncturist. Sure, she botched the treatment by leaving first, but it worked out in the end.

"Hey, Toph. I need a porcupine." Lin said.

"What for?" Toph asked.

"Acupuncture. It might help Aang." Lin said.

"I like the way you think." Toph said.

Aang found himself laying on a bed of pillar shaped rocks.

"What you need is a good old-fashioned back pounding to relieve your stress."

"Pound away." Aang said.

Toph did just that, and Aang was in heavy pain from the rough treatment.

"Right. I forgot you have baby skin. Well, there's one other thing we can try. Acupuncture!" Toph said, earthbending a porcupine into her hand. It shows its needles, and Toph grins.

"Aghhh!" Aang screams, running way from Toph.

Aang ran, and something hit his head hard.

"Lin?" He asked, seeing her stand above him.

Lin just held her hand open, and another porcupine was shown!

With his energy being sapped, Aang just lay on the ground, as Lin began to put the needles inside him.

"You feel anything?" Lin asked.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Aang asked.

"No. Only done acupuncture once, and I was on the receiving end." Lin said.

Aang airbended the needles away, and ran from Lin.

That night, Aang fell asleep from pure exhaustion. And he had a brutal nightmare.

He saw himself inside the fire nation palace and saw Toph. She had no eyes, and falls thru the floor. Turning around, he sees Lin walking out of the shadows. She's covered with blood, and badly cut up and disfigured. The sound of a blade brandished is heard, and the blade cuts her head off. The head lands at Aang's feet.

Aang picks up the head, and the head opens its mouth then lets out a blood-curdling scream. Aang drops the head in horror, and sees Sokka running thru a tunnel. Gooey tentacles grab him, and bury him alive. Katara is next, as she looks around scared. Fire consumes her, and nothing is left where she stood.

Aang is trapped by ice, and falls into the sea. Swimming up, he sees Zuko motionless. Sozin's comet flies past his head, and Aang is transported to a beautiful valley. The comet hits the valley, and the valley turns into fire and lava.

Aang wakes up screaming.

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"It's the nightmares. They just keep getting worse." Aang said.

"Looks like it's time for… another therapy session." Sokka said, quickly putting on his beard.

"Nothing will help. There's only one thing I can do. I'm going to stay awake straight through to the invasion." Aang said.

"That's the dumbest plan I ever heard." Lin said.

Lin watched as Aang continued to lose his mind, as the sleep deprivation only made things worse. At one point he confessed his love to her, but Lin saw Aang facing away, holding and kissing air.

"Boy. You are starting to lose it." Momo said to Aang.

"Momo, did you hear something?" Aang asked.

"No but I said something." Momo said.

Aang just stood there, confused.

"You my friend, are just a few plumbs short of a fruit pie." Momo said.

Everyone watched as Aang and Momo talked.

"Aang, we're starting to get worried about you." Katara said.

"You've been awake too long." Sokka said.

"You won't last long when the invasion comes." Lin said.

"And you've been acting downright weird." Toph said.

"You've got to take care of yourself. You can't go on like this." Appa said, standing on his hind legs.

"I appreciate what you guys are saying. But the stress and the nightmares, they were too much. Staying awake is the best way for me to deal with it." Aang said.

"Yeah. So leave the kid alone." Momo said.

"Hey, who asked you?" Appa asked.

"Guys, come on." Aang said, now fully hallucinating.

"No. I am sick of this guy always mouthing off and telling me what to do." Appa said.

"Oh, you don't like it? Lets go right now." Momo said.

"Sokka, what should we do?" Aang asked, grabbing Sokka's shirt.

"Do about what?" Sokka asked.

"About that!" Aang said, pointing to Momo and Appa.

Both animals faced each other, wearing samurai gear and pulled out their swords. Momo had two, Appa had six. Both charged each other and began to fight in a great sword duel. The Kola sheep quickly took sides of the fight.

"Appa! Appa! Appa!"

"Momo! Momo! Momo!"

As Aang looked in shock, he felt a pair of hands feel him up, and metal press against him.

"You're mine now, Avatar." Lin said, her voice thick with lust.

Eyes wide open, Aang turned around to see Lin with a good sized whip in her hand, wearing her police armor.

"I just need to jump in a cold waterfall!" Aang yelled, and ran into the forest.

"Okay. He really needs his sleep." Lin said, as they watched Aang leave.

"I have one last option." Katara said.

"It better work." Lin said.

"I hope." Katara said.

Aang came back, and saw the make-shift bed that was made for him.

"Oh look. Another hallucination. An imaginary bed, made out of clouds." Aang said.

"Hey, it's real! We spent hours working on it." Katara said.

"We made it for you. A good night's rest will take away the crazy…we hope." Sokka said.

"Look, you guys keep telling me I have to sleep, but I can't. The invasion's tomorrow."

"Aang…" Lin said, not wanting to argue with him.

"No, Lin. There's still so much I haven't learned. I don't need sleep. I need to practice. Quick, hit me." Aang said.

"I'm tempted to." Lin said.

"Go ahead." Toph said.

"No." Katara said.

"Aang, listen. I've seen and helped your training since we met at the south pole. You know I don't mince words. You're ready for this fight. It's the whole reason you went thru all the intense training with us." Lin said.

"You really think so?" Aang asked.

"I know so. I wouldn't say any of that if you weren't ready." Lin said.

"Thanks." Aang said, as Lin lifted him and put him on the wool-sheep bed.

"Finally, he's asleep." Katara said.

"Get some rest. We'll need it." Sokka said.


	44. Chapter 44 day of black sun

Ch 44 day of black sun

Waking up early, Lin went thru the Appa's saddle and put on her armor. Sharpening her swords and knives, she heavily sighed. She knew the invasion was doomed to fail. Azula infiltrated Ba Sing Se, and got the intel about the invasion.

"You're up early." Toph said.

"Yeah. I am." Lin curtly said, not wanting to talk to anyone right now.

When everyone else woke up, they approached the edge of the cliff, and saw a large fog hovering over the ocean.

"Sokka, you think the fog will delay the invasion?" Katara asked.

Sokka looked at the fog, and realized something.

"No. That is the invasion." Sokka said.

6 watertribe ships appeared thru the fog and docked at the location.

Everyone got out of the ships, and had a small reunion with Aang and his friends. She remembered years ago, when she was on the police force.

 _A 22-year-old Lin Beifong looked at her fellow officers, as they loaded their armored trucks and police cars, getting ready for an important raid._

 _"Morning, Lin." Tenzin said._

 _"Tenzin. Didn't expect to see you here." Lin said._

 _"Came to see how you're doing." Tenzin said._

 _"How I'm doing. Lets see. Me and my fellow officers are about to conduct a massive attack against all the triads at once. Chances are, they know we're coming and both sides will sustain massive casualties. So yeah, I'm doing just fine." Lin curtly said._

 _"No need to get angry." Tenzin said._

 _"Tenzin, you've never been in combat, so you've no idea what me and my comrades are thinking." Lin said._

Leaving the group alone, she headed to the hill and sat down, cross legged.

They were going to war, attacking the very heart of the fire nation. She didn't want to think of the casualties, the screaming, the hell. She'd seen too much of it.

"Lin, what are you doing up here?" Aang asked.

"Get away, Aang. I don't want to talk to anyone right now." Lin said.

"I understand." Aang said.

"No you don't. None of you understand. You've seen horrors, yes. But you, Aang. You weren't there when your people were attacked. Katara and Sokka saw their dead mother. But seeing one dead body won't prepare for seeing dozens of people dying in front of your eyes, and knowing that there's nothing you can do about it. No-one is ready. No matter the training of experience." Lin said.

"You told me last night, that I'm ready. Was that to comfort me, or was it the full truth?" Aang asked.

"You are ready to fight. But you're not ready to kill. Hell, even I'm not ready. And I've been around the block longer than anyone." Lin said.

"I saw you kill two people with no problems." Aang said.

"That wasn't on a battlefield. I did fight in the siege of the north, and the siege of Ba Sing Se, along with other smaller fights. But this is something else. We'll be outnumbered and outgunned." Lin said.

"We've been outnumbered and outgunned this whole time. And we're still alive." Aang said.

" **You're** still alive because Katara brought you back with the spirit water. It's all gone. I have something to give to your friends." Lin said, opening a small purse, and pulling out several cyanide pills.

"What's this?" Aang asked, holding it.

"Cyanide. It's a fast acting poison. You'll be dead before you hit the floor. Give them to your friends, with orders to swallow them if we're to be captured. Reinforce it to Katara and Toph." Lin said, keeping a pill for herself.

"Why the reinforcement?" Aang asked.

"Woman have always been prizes of war. It's an unfortunate brutality of war. And don't be surprised if you don't take any prisoners during the fight. I won't." Lin said, walking away.

Lin hung in the back as she watched Sokka start to brief them on their invasion plan. And it was an epic failure. She would have found if comedic, if they weren't risking their lives in an all or nothing attack. Hakoda took over, and proved to be a much better speaker.

Entering the ships, they made their way to the gates of Azulon under the cloud and steam cover. As they approached in, a large net was raised from the sea and set on fire, blocking their ships. Sokka only gulped in fear, as it appeared the fire nation seemed to know.

"I think the fire nation will be surprised at your new inventions." Hakoda said to his son, as they headed below deck. Hakoda opened the bottom door and they headed down the ladder and into the subs, held onto the bottom of the ships.

In the cockpit, Lin watched as they left the watertribe ship and snuck under the gates of Azulon.

"That was easy." Lin said.

"You call that easy?" Sokka asked.

"Yes. When we hit the beach, all hell breaks loose." Lin said.

"Thanks for the confidence." Sokka sarcastically said.

Lin grabbed Sokka and threw him against the wall of the ship and put her arm blade against his neck.

"You feel that? The adrenaline? The fear? I see your pupils wide open. It'll be like that, on a harsher scale. You want to survive; you keep your head down, you keep moving. And hope that the guy next to you gets killed." Lin bitterly said.

Walking away, she doesn't notice that Sokka and his father look at Lin with worry in their eyes.

"And she's been fighting with you since you left home." Hakoda said.

"Yeah. She's just antsy, I hope." Sokka said.

When the subs surfaced for air, Lin climbed on the top and vomited into the sea.

"I hate sea travel." Lin said.

"You're not the only one." Toph said.

Aang's friends gathered around him to wish him luck.

"So this is it, huh?" He asked.

"You ready for the fire nation to know the avatar's alive?" Sokka asked.

"I'm ready." Aang said, as Sokka grasped his arm, wishing him luck.

"I hope you kick some serious fire lord butt, twinkle toes." Toph said.

"Everyone, listen up. Next time we surface; it'll be on the beaches. Stay alert, stay alive. Break time's over, back in the subs." Hakoda said.

Lin faced Aang, and pulled out her Kantana sword and a K-bar knife.

"Keep these with you. If your bending doesn't work, use them. And make sure he's dead. You cut his head off." Lin said.

Aang apprehensively looked at Lin.

"Everything's going to be different, isn't it?" Aang asked.

"I'm not sure about that. But if it goes right, the war will end. Hopefully." Lin said.

"You don't think it will end for the better?" Aang asked.

"We'll stop the firelord, and cripple the leadership of the country, of course. But the long-term effects, I'm not going to tell you. It's too sensitive." Lin said.

Aang pulled Lin close and deeply kissed her.

"See you when this is over." He said.

"You to." Lin said, as she headed inside the sub.

As they headed towards the fire nation, Lin addressed the soldiers that was in the sub with her.

"When you hit the beach, they'll be firing every weapon they have at us. Get to the rendezvous point. Keep your head down, and move as a large group. We spread out and maintain our intervals. One man, is a waste of ammo. 5 bunched up, is a juicy target. Good luck, and godspeed." Lin said.

Shooting their way past the torpedo grates, they hit the beach under intense fire. Fire nation ballista's were firing explosive bolts at the subs, and everyone inside wondered if one would pierce thru and kill them in one shot.

"Go!" Lin shouted, as they ran outside into the battlefield. The tanks moved ahead first, initially shrugging off the attacks. Heavily breathing, Lin continued to run into the fight, and saw an explosive bolt go right over her head, and detonate opposite of her position. She heard a scream, and looked to see a water-tribe soldier laying on the ground, gripping his shoulder. His arm was blown clean off.

Grimacing, Lin continued to move forward and saw fire nation tanks move onto the battlefield. Lin ran towards the tanks and leaped onto one. She rips the top right off, stabs the drive dead, and grapples with the 2nd occupant. He attempts to throw fire at her, but Lin dodges the blow and slashes his neck open. A pack catches her eye, and she grabs it.

"Phosphorus grenades. Doesn't surprise me." Lin said, putting the pack on her, and faces the line of fire nation tanks that start shooting at the invading army. Lin dodges their attacks, and watches as one of the earth kingdom tanks approaches its fire nation counterpart, and crushes it flat.

Wincing in response, she watches as the fire nation began to surround them, and stopping their advances.

"Shit." Lin said, as the embattlements hammer them non-stop.

"So what's the plan? Other than staying alive?" Toph asked.

Taking a large drink of water, Lin peeks from behind a downed tank, and sees the fire nation tanks still in a line. Two tanks are destroyed by boulders fired from earth kingdom troops.

"Cover me!" Lin shouts, and runs from behind cover.

The battlements don't shoot, not considering one person to be a threat. Lin was counting on that. The fire nation tanks had no qualms about trying to kill her. Dodging their attacks, she jumps with the aid of earthbending and lands on the lead tank. Ripping a hole in the roof, she drops an active phosphorous grenade and jumps off. The armor of the tank keeps the explosion encased inside, but the screams are horrific.

Lin leaps out of the way as a fire nation tank attempts to run her over, crashing into the now burning tank. Lin performed the same plan she did. Maneuver, climb on tank, drop phosphorus inside, rinse and repeat.

After destroying 4 tanks, Lin watches as Appa lands in the middle of a battlefield and knocks away the tanks with a large air blast.

"Listen up everyone! I want the tanks in wedge formation! Warriors and benders in the middle. We're taking that tower and heading towards the royal palace!" Sokka shouted.

"Charge!" Sokka shouts, grabbing his sword.

With renewed vigor, everyone charges forward. And the fire nation is unable to stop the new blitz.

Breaking thru a wall, they route the defending forces, and victory is in sight.

"Sokka, we're on our way to victory!" Bato said.

The fighting turns into a brutal game of attrition. Slowly but surely, they're making their way to the fire nation palace, inside the volcano. Putting gloves on her bleeding hands, Lin looks into the sky and watches Aang return.

"Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down?" Sokka asked.

"He wasn't home. No-one was. The entire palace is empty." Aang said.

"They knew." Sokka said.

"It's over. The fire lord is probably long gone." Aang said.

"No. My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker. Somewhere he could go so it'll be safe during a siege but still be close enough to lead his nation." Sokka said.

"You don't have any proof. Since the fire lord knew of this beforehand, we should pull back and fight another day." Lin said.

"Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Aang to go for it." Hakoda said.

Lin sighed in annoyance.

"Then their deaths are on Aang's conscience."

"If there's a chance we can win, I'm taking it." Aang said.

Lin followed the group as they fly to the top of the volcano where the fire nation capital is. Landing on the side, Lin and Toph use their seismic sense to know the location of the secret bunker, and they went inside.

"This way! That way's a dead end." Toph said.

"What would we do without you?" Sokka asked.

"Perish and burn in hot magma." Toph said.

"Yeah, pretty much." Sokka said, as they went past a small stream of lava. Right now, Lin wished Bolin was here, so his lava-bending would come as a great use. They approach a cavern that's filled with active lava vents all over the floor. Taking a deep breath, Lin runs forward and uses her seismic sense to avoid the active vents.

"Follow my path." She says, and watches everyone else follow the route she took. Heading thru the tunnel, they stop at a small cliff, and watch at the large river of lava.

"Oh fuck." Lin says.

"Climb aboard, and hold on tight!" Aang says, opening his glider. Toph and Sokka hold onto the top of Aang's glider, screaming with fright as Aang dodges a stone column and a lava explosion. Reaching the end, Aang looks back but doesn't see Lin.

"Lin!" He shouts, fearing the worst.

Lin is swinging from the top of the cavern using her metal cables. She lands behind the group.

"Thanks for the concern, but I'm fine." Lin said.

"Thank, god." Aang said.

"God's got nothing to do with it." Lin replied.

They run to a large metal door, even Sokka comments on it.

"That's some door." He said.

Toph approaches it, and breaks a hole into it.

"I am so glad we added you to the group." Sokka said.

"Hey, I'm also in the group." Lin said.

"Don't worry. I'm glad you're with us." Aang said.

Running thru the tunnels, they come across war minister Quin, and corner him.

"The Fire Lord's chamber is that way down the hall to the left and up the stairs. You can't miss it." Quin said.

Lin quickly cuts the minister's throat, killing him.

"What was that for?!" Aang asked.

"So he doesn't tell anyone our positon." Lin said, opening the wall, shoving the body inside, and closing the wall.

"30 seconds until the eclipse." Sokka said, looking at his clock.

"I'm ready. I'm ready to face the firelord." Aang said.

Aang breaks open the door and they walk inside the room. But instead of finding Ozai, they find Azula.

"So, you're still alive. I had a hunch that you survived. It doesn't matter, I've known about the invasion for months." Azula smirked.

"Where is he? Where is the Fire Lord?" Aang asked.  
"Hm, you mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings." Azula sarcastically said.

"Stop wasting our time and give us the information. You're powerless right now so you're in no position to refuse." Sokka said.

"And stick to the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying." Toph said.  
"Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar. I am a 400 foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings." Azula said in a mono-tone voice.  
"Okay you're good, I admit it." Toph said, bending the earth to encase Azula in.

"But you really ought to consider telling the truth anyway."

The earth surrounding Azula suddenly explodes.

"When I left Ba Sing Se, I brought back some souvenirs. Dai Li agents." Azula said.

"Not those guys." Lin muttered.

Not wanting to waste any time, Lin pulls out her phosphorous grenades and gets ready to fight. As the Dai Li agents move in, Lin attaches the grenades to her cables and throws them at her enemies, making every shot count.

"Oh shit!" Sokka shouts, as the Dai Li agent that was right in front of him bursts right into flames.

"Go after her! I'll take care of them!" Lin shouts, as the Dai Li focus on killing Lin.

"She's too fast!" Aang said, as he fails to put her down with air-bending. Meanwhile, Lin finishes up in fighting the Dai Li agents, using the last of her phosphorus grenades. She looks at the burning bodies and heads after Azula.

She hears firebending and runs faster.

"What happened?" Lin asked.

"Azula had this all planned out. We need to leave, now." Sokka said.

Heading outside, they meet with the rest of the invasion force.

"They're back!" Katara shouted, pointing upwards.

5 war balloons are seen advancing thru the sky, followed by 5 massive zeppelins.

"It's just like republic city all over again." Lin said, remembering when the equalist captured the city, starting with an air attack.

"It was all a trap. Azula knew we were coming and she's plotted out every move. We just got to get to the beach as fast as we can. If we can make it to the submarines, maybe we can get away safely." Sokka said.

"They got air power, but so do I!" Aang said, opening his glider, when Lin captured it with her cables.

"Those zeppelins are armed to the teeth with firebenders. It's suicide!" Lin said.

"Everyone, back to the subs!" Sokka said.

Everyone retreated back to the beach, but were overshadowed by the zeppelins flying over them.

"They're going to bomb us!" Lin shouted.

Toph bends a large slab of stone above them, as the bombs explode on them. The stone above them begins to crack and collapse, but Toph earthbends two pillars to keep the roof from crushing them.

The zeppelins cease bombing, and continue forward.

"Why aren't they turning around?" Katara asked.

"They're heading to the subs." Aang said.

"How are we going to escape?" Sokka asked.

"We can't." Hakoda said.

"Then we should fight. We still have the avatar with us." Sokka said.

"Against that kind of firepower? We'll be dead within minutes. There's only one thing we can do." Lin said.

"She's right. You kids have to run with Aang. It's the only way to keep hope alive." Hakoda said.

They watch as the zeppelins destroy the submarines, effectively stranding those who choose to stay behind. All the youngest members go on Appa, while everyone else stays behind. Aang kneels on the saddle as tears go down his face. Wiping them away, he stands up to address the troops.

"Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm going to make this up to you." Aang said.

With time running out, they leave the fire nation and Azula chases them on her zeppelin.

"Should we follow them?" the captain asked.

"No. They're too fast. Doesn't matter. They'll be back." Azula said.

Lin sighs in relief as the zeppelin turns back. She clearly remembered when she and Tenzin's family were escaping the equalist on their bison. The equalist zeppelins were gaining on them, and Lin managed to get onto the zeppelins to bring them down. It didn't work in the end, because she lost her bending, and the family was captured as well.

"You okay?" Sokka asked, breaking Lin from her thoughts.

"No." Lin said.

"I know where we'll be safe for a while. The western air temple." Aang said.


	45. Chapter 45 the western air temple

Ch 45 the western air temple

"This is humiliating." Katara said.

"You mean getting thoroughly spanked by the fire nation, or having to walk to the western air temple?" Sokka asked.

"Both." Katara said.

Approaching the edge, they looked into the abyss.

 _Look into the abyss, and the abyss looks back at you._

"We're here." Toph said.

"I don't see anything." Katara said.

"She's right. We are here." Aang said.

Climbing on Appa, they head downwards, and see the western air temple, hanging upside down. Lin figured the temple was the last temple hit by the fire nation.

"Wow. One hell of a view." Sokka said.

Jumping off of Appa, they discussed their new move.

"So what's the new plan?" Aang asked.

"Simple. You just have to master the four elements and confront the firelord before the comet comes." Sokka said.

"That's not simple. Where are you going to find a firebender?" Lin asked.

"We could look for Jeong Jeong." Katara said.

"Right. Like we'll find him again." Aang said.

As Aang leaves the group, Katara, Sokka, and Toph follow him on Appa. Lin heads inside the temple to take a bath. Removing her armor, she steps into the boiling water and contently rests, falling asleep.

"I can't believe he would try that!" Aang said, walking into the bathing room.

"Business as usual?" Lin smirked.

"Zuko has the nerve to appear out of nowhere, and say he wants to be my firebending teacher. He sided with Azula in Ba Sing Se, tried to capture me over and over. Came very close to doing so, twice." Aang said.

"You done ranting?" Lin asked, washing herself.

"Yeah, I'm done." Aang said, climbing into the bath with Lin.

Lin pursed her lips in thought.

"What's on your mind?" Aang asked.

"You didn't accept him, did you?" Lin asked.

"Why would I?" Aang bitterly asked.

"You and your friends are idiots." Lin said, turning Aang around to face her.

"The fire nation knows where we are. They're planning a strike right now, and even if they weren't, Sozin's comet is still coming. Without firebending, you won't stand a chance against Ozai. You need to know firebending. Jeong Jeong is missing, probably dead. Zuko appears offering himself. And you choose to turn his offer down. Jeong Jeong was right." Lin said.

"Right about what?" Aang asked.

"He told me one thing. You can't persuade a fool from his own path of destruction. You just watch them destroy everything in sight, and pray they learn their lesson, but more often than not, they never learn." Lin said.

"So you think I should forget everything that's happened in the past, and let Zuko take me under his wing." Aang said.

"You should. Aang, this is the last window of hope you have for taking out the firelord. When it closes, game over. Everyone is going to die. Just let that sit in your head for a while." Lin said, stepping out of the large bath tub and drying herself.

The door was knocked on, and Lin quickly put her clothes and armor on.

"If you're done riding Aang, some of us need to take a bath." Toph said.

 _I'd rather fight in the invasion again, than endure Toph's hazing._

"What does that mean?" Aang asked.

"It means she's on top." Toph said.

"I'll tell you later." Lin said, not wanting to discuss this.

Opening the door, Lin ignored Toph's smirk and headed to the balcony.

"So what do you think?" Katara asked.

"You should let Zuko train Aang." Lin said.

Next morning, Toph wasn't around.

"Where's Toph?" Katara asked.

Katara's question was answered when Toph came back, crawling on her hand.

"Toph, what happened?" Katara asked.

"My feet got burned." Toph aid.

"Oh no. What happened?" Katara asked.

"I told you. My feet got burned." Toph annoyingly said.

"How." Lin demanded.

"Well, I went to see Zuko." Toph said.

"You what?" Katara asked.

"I just thought he could be helpful to us. And if I talked to him, maybe we could work something out." Toph said.

"So he attacked you?" Aang asked.

"Well he did and he didn't. It was an accident." Toph aid.

"But he did firebend at you." Aang said.

"Yes." Toph said.

"I've had enough of this bullshit." Lin said, and walked into the open and looked up.

"No." she whispered, seeing combustion man.

Everything happened in a blur. Combustion man sent out a blast quicker than she could blink, and the last thing she remembered, was being thrown against the wall.

"No!" Aang said, heading to Lin.

As everyone retreated behind the corner, Aang pulled Lin back to the group, but struggled against the weight of her armor.

"How the hell did he find us?" Sokka asked, helping Aang pull Lin.

"Doesn't matter." Aang said, opening Lin's mouth and giving her mouth-to-mouth. Lin wakes up and sits up, still locking lips with Aang.

"Okay, she's awake. Now can we deal with combustion man?" Sokka asked.

"Thanks. I owe you one." Lin said, standing up and standing next to Katara.

"He's gonna blow the place off the mountain!" Toph said.

Lin peaked around the corner and saw plenty of debris laying around. Using her earthbending, she called upon the debris and threw them at combustion man. Didn't work, because he blasted thru the attack.

"Nothing we have works. And I can't step out without being vaporized." Katara said.

"I have an idea." Sokka said, pulling out his boomerang.

Sokka peeks from behind cover, and observes the blasts hitting the structure.

"Alright, buddy. Don't fail me now." Sokka said, and threw the boomerang as hard as he could.

Combustion man got ready for another attack, only for the boomerang to hit his head, knocking him down.

"Yeah, boomerang!" Sokka said, as it came back to him.

Combustion man then stood up.

"What does it take to kill him?!" Lin exclaimed.

Ducking behind cover, they waited for the next strike. Instead, they heard a loud explosion and no longer saw combustion man.

"Finally. It's over." Lin said.

"I can't believe I'm saying this. But thanks, Zuko." Aang said.

"What about me? I did the boomerang thing." Sokka said.

"Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot in the past few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war. And I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world." Zuko said.

"I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I tried to learn firebending, I burned Lin. After that, I didn't want to firbend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love. I'd like you to teach me." Aang said.

"Thanks." Zuko said, bowing to Aang. "I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group."

"Not so fast. I still need to ask my friends if it's okay with them." Aang said.

"Toph, you're the one who got burned. What do you think?"

"Let him join. I'll have plenty of time to get back at him." Toph said.

"Lin?" Aang asked.

"You know my answer. Let him join." Lin said.

"Sokka?"

"Hey, all I want is to defeat the fire lord. If you think this is the best way to do it, then fine by me." Sokka replied.

"Katara?" Aang asked.

Katara glared at Zuko before speaking. Lin watched the debacle, slowly bringing out her arm blades.

"I'll go along with whatever you think is right." She said.

"I won't let you down. I promise." Zuko said.

Lin entered her room and put her weapons on the table, sorting what could still be used, and what couldn't. Taking off her armor and spool cables, she ran her hands down the metal, feeling for any damage.

"Is there any way I can get armor like this?" Aang asked.

"This armor is crafted to each person's physique. And it takes time to make the armor. Doubt we'll have time nor the materials for you to get your own armor." Lin said, as she threw away two knives.

"One question. What did Toph mean by 'when you're done riding him?' and 'she's on top.'?" Aang asked.

"You'll know later." Lin said, shrugging Aang off.

"I saved your life today. I'd like to know." Aang said.

Lin sighed in exasperation. There was no way she'd get out of this.

"First, get some sour food. The sourest you can find. Then get something strong to drink." Lin said, dreading the talk.


	46. Chapter 46 the firebending masters

Ch 46 the firebending masters

"So that's what it means." Aang said, after Lin gave him 'the talk'. Both of them looked very uncomfortable after it.

"Yep. That's what it means. You fully understand?" Lin said, leaning against an open window, a cup in her hand.

"No. If anything at all, I'm even more confused." Aang said.

"Anything I can do to help?" Lin asked, moving the cup to her mouth, then dumped out the drink out of the window.

"Whenever I had a problem learning an element, you, Katara, and Toph would always show and guide me thru the problem." Aang said.

Lin put her fingers down her throat and gagged.

"No. I'm not doing what you're asking me to do. This is something you'll have to figure out on your own." Lin said, walking out of the room.

Shrugging his shoulders, he went to practice his firebending with Zuko. Aang couldn't produce a single spark, and Zuko's firebending was far weaker than it should have been. That night, he told the group of his problem.

"I lost my stuff." Zuko said.

"I didn't steal it." Toph said.

"No. My firebending." Zuko said.

 _I know how that feels._ Lin thought, when Katara sourly laughed.

"I'm sorry. It's just ironic how it would have been better for everyone if you had lost your bending a long time ago." Katara said.

"It's not lost per-say. It's just weaker." Zuko said.

"Maybe you're not as good as you think you are." Katara said.

"I bet it's because I changed sides." Zuko said.

"That's impossible." Katara said.

"Maybe not. Your firebending came from rage, and now you don't have enough like you used to." Aang said.

"So we should just make Zuko angry again." Sokka said, and proceeded to poke him with his sword.

"Cut it out! I don't want my firebending to be fueled by rage and anger anymore." Zuko said.

"You're going to have to learn to draw your firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source." Toph said.

"What's that? Jump into a volcano?" Sokka asked.

"Oh my god." Lin muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know. For earthbenders, the original masters were badger moles." Toph said.

"The original firebenders were dragons, and they're extinct." Zuko said.

"There were dragons when I was around 100 years ago." Aang said.

"Well, they're gone." Zuko curtly said.

"But there is another way. The first people to learn firebending were the ancient sun warriors. But they died thousands of years ago. Their ruins aren't too far from here. Maybe we can find something by poking around the ruins." Zuko continued.

"So what? Maybe you'll pick up some super old sun warrior energy by standing where they stood?" Sokka asked.

"More or less. Either I find a way to firebend, or the avatar has to find another teacher." Zuko said.

Next morning, Katara approached Lin. Sighing, she approached the older woman.

"What do you need?" Lin asked, examining her arm blades.

"I want you to go with Aang and Zuko." Katara said.

"Why?" Lin asked.

"I don't trust Zuko." Katara said.

Lin raised an eyebrow.

"Aang can handle himself. He knows 3 elements. Zuko can barely firebend." Lin said.

"I still don't trust him." Katara said.

Not wanting to argue, Lin agreed.

"But don't use this opportunity to fool around with Aang." Katara said.

"Trust me, I won't." Lin said.

Leaving the temple, they headed to the ruins. There wasn't much left standing. The few buildings looked like they could collapse any second and…

"Zuko, I think the past is trying to kill me." Aang said, as he airbended himself over a floor of punji sticks.

"This booby-trap is thousands of years old, and it still works." Zuko said.

"Someone's still here." Lin said, brandishing her sword.

"What makes you say that?" Zuko asked.

"Thousands of years is plenty of time for someone to stumble here and upon this booby-trap. It's clean of blood, and the wire still works. We're not alone." Lin says, taking point.

"She knows her stuff. Where'd she come from?" Zuko asked.

"She was a soldier from the earth-kingdom. Found her in the southern tribe." Aang said.

"Probably shipwrecked." Zuko said.

Aang didn't continue the conversation, not wanting the truth to come out.

"A sun dial." Zuko said, looking at the gate to the temple.

"And it opens at the summer solstice." Aang said.

Zuko pulled out his Dao sword manipulated the light to open the gate. Walking inside the temple, they saw a circle of statues in several poses.

"Aang approached a statue and copied the pose. The piece of ground he was on sunk a few inches. Aang quickly figured it out.

"Zuko, come dance with me." Aang said.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"Just do it." Aang said.

Zuko and Aang went thru the poses and at the end, a pedestal rose, holding a golden egg.

"Golden egg." Lin said.

Zuko picked it up.

"It feels, alive." Zuko said.

Lin's instincts yelled at her to run, and that's what she did. Exiting the temple, she saw a strange substance drip out of the temple walls and doors.

Lin headed to the top of the roof, and saw Zuko and Aang. Their heads were just sticking out of the upper grate.

"Lin, get us out of here." Aang said.

Lin approached them, and poked the substance with her knife.

"Can't get you out." Lin said.

"You said someone else was here." Zuko said.

"Yeah. And look at our situation. Whoever is here, isn't friendly." Lin said, walking away from the two.

"Where's she going?" Zuko asked.

"We've saved each other's lives many times. I trust her." Aang said, his gaze firmly fixed on Lin.

The sun warriors eventually came and freed Aang and Zuko.

"I don't play this card, but I'm the avatar." Aang said.

"My name is Zuko. I'm the firelord's sun, or I used to be." Zuko said.

"We had a third person…" Zuko said, looking for Lin.

"Name's Lin. I'm a friend of theirs." Lin said, coming out of the shadows.

"What are you doing here?" the leader asked.

"We wanted to learn the true ways of firebending. I never imagined that the sun warrior society was still alive. I'm truly honored to be in your presence." Zuko said, bowing to the leader, Aang following his example.

The sun warriors had the both of them deliver a part of the eternal flame to the two masters. Lin heard of this when she was a child.

"This will be interesting." She said.

The two climbed a steep staircase and faced two opposite caves. After a few tense minutes, the masters came.

"Holy shit!" Lin shouts, as she sees two dragons, one red, one blue. They circle Aang and Zuko. The two perform the same dance they did earlier in the temple. The dragons quit flying around, and breathe fire in the sky.

Lin gasps, and waits. Aang and Zuko walk down the stairs, talking about their new-found powers.

"How does it feel to firebend?" Lin asked.

"Very good. It feels energetic, not destructive." Aang said.

"That's the truth of it all." The leader says.

Back at the air temple, everyone watches as Aang and Zuko perform the dance again.

"Yeah, that's a great dance you two got there." Sokka said.

"It's not a dance. It's a firebending form." Zuko defended.

"Okay. We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the fire lord." Sokka continued.

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!" Zuko said, walking to the group.

"What's the form called?" Katara asked.

"The dancing dragons." Zuko said, embarrassed.


	47. Ch 47 flight and the southern raiders

Ch 47 flight and the southern raiders

"No. I'm not going." Lin said.

"Lin, you're the best hand to hand fighter we have." Sokka said.

"If you want to go to the most secure fire nation prison to find your dad, go ahead. But I'm not going on a suicide mission." Lin said.

"Fine." Sokka said.

As Lin went to her bedroom, Zuko grabbed her shoulder.

"Give this to Aang. Make sure he practices his firebending." Zuko said.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he practices." Lin said.

"Good. Me and Sokka will be back in a few days." Zuko said.

Next morning, the group woke up to see the note.

"Need meat. Gone fishing." Katara started.

"Sounds like Sokka wrote it." Lin said.

"Back in a few days. Sokka and Zuko. One more thing. Aang, practice your firebending while I'm gone. Do twenty sets of fire fists and ten hot squats every time you hear a badger frog croak. Lin, make sure he does his training. 'Motivate' him if necessary." Katara said.

"I can think of a few ideas." Lin said, looking at her cables, a devious smile on her face.

"I'm sure you will." Katara said, when a badger frog croaked.

"No-one else has homework to do." Aang muttered, and started his exercises.

Everyone went inside, but Lin stayed outside to oversee Aang's training. When he was finished with the exercises, he walked inside when Lin grabbed him.

"Not so fast. You against me." Lin said.

"Okay. But I can barely produce fire." Aang said.

"Go with what you know." Lin said.

Above the western air temple, they started the practice. Aang attacked with a blast of fire, but Lin raised her left arm and let the armor dissipate it.

"You'll need a lot more than that. Keep attacking." Lin said.

The duel continued between both of them, and Lin found it way to easy. After Aang got close, Lin grabbed him and threw him onto the ground.

"You'll need to fight better than that. Me, I'm an old woman. And I'm kicking your ass. Hell, I've been kicking your ass in every sparring session we've had. You do enjoy being the submissive, don't you?" Lin asked.

Aang snapped and went on the offensive, with a strong fire blast. Lin was knocked on her feet, and she quickly stood up for the next attack. Raising an earth barrier, she waited for Aang to run dry of his energy.

When the firebending stopped, she dropped the barrier and was tackled to the ground as Aang ran at her with his airbending. Struggling to get up, she found herself pinned to the ground, as Aang shackled her arms and legs to the ground with earthbending.

"You're on top this time." Lin said.

"I can only imagine the ribbing Toph will bring to the table." Aang said.

"Not looking forward to that, but let her talk. It's not like she can back up her words." Lin said.

"I think she can." Aang said, as he got off from Lin and helped her up.

"So, how was the sparring?" Katara asked, when they walked into the temple.

"Aang was on top this time. Lin, you'll have to fight harder to keep him submissive." Toph said.

Katara had a flabbergasted look on her face, Aang blushed beet red, and Lin was trying to control her anger.

"Toph, where do you get such crude ideas and language?" Lin asked.

"You think I spent all that time at home being a perfect little princess? I spent most of my time as the blind bandit. And considering the company I was competing with, you tend to pick up a few things." Toph said.

"I'm sure it's more than a few things." Katara said.

Two nights later, Zuko and Sokka came back, on a fire nation zeppelin.

"What happened to the war balloon?" Katara asked.

"It crashed." Zuko said.

"Must have been on hell of a fishing trip." Aang said.

"Did you at least get any meat?" Toph asked.

"I did. The best meat of all. The meat of friendship, and fatherhood." Sokka said.

Suki and Hakoda left the zeppelin, approaching the kids.

Katara walked to her and hugged him, happy to see him again.

"Where did you go?" Katara asked.

"We went to a fire nation prison." Sokka said.

"Seriously, you guys didn't find any meat?" Toph asked.

Four days passed, and they woke up the sweet sound of explosions.

"Shit, they found us!" Lin said, standing up to see fire nation zeppelins approach the temple.

Aang closed the doors via airbending, but they were collapsing under the constant attacks.

"We can escape thru here." Toph said, creating a tunnel.

"What are you doing?" Aang asked, as Zuko stayed behind.

"Go ahead. This is a family visit." Zuko said, running towards the zeppelins.

"He's got balls, I'll give him that." Lin says, as she throws her stuff on Appa's saddle.

"Appa hates tunnels!" Aang said, as they struggled to pull Appa.

"Aang, there's no way we can fly out of here." Katara said.

"We'll have to. It's very hard to hit a moving target." Lin said.

"We split up. Take the airship and get out." Sokka said to his father and the others.

"No. The fire nation can't separate our family again." Katara said.

"It's not forever. We'll meet again." Hakoda firmly said.

With Appa's saddle filled, they flew towards the zeppelins, a large rock shield held in place by Aang and Lin.

"Told you we'd make it." Lin said, as they were under attack by fire.

"You call this making it?" Katara asked, as she used her waterbending as a shield against the fireballs.

"We have a higher chance of survival right now." Lin said, as she held onto the saddle; Appa banked hard left as they grabbed Zuko from falling to his death.

"She's not going to make it." Zuko said, as Azula fell. She used her firebending to propel herself to the cliff and stopped her descend with a hairpin.

"Of course she does." Zuko said.

They set up camp on an inhabited, sitting around a fire.

"Man. Feels like old time." Aang said.

"If you really want to feel like old times, I could, uhh... chase you around a while and try to capture you." Zuko said, everyone laughed at that.

"To Zuko. Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today, he be our hero." Sokka said, raising his up.

"Here, here." Everyone else said, except Katara.

"I'm touched. I don't deserve this." Zuko said.

"Yeah. You don't." Katara bitingly said, and walked away.

"What's with her?" Sokka asked.

"I wish I knew." Zuko said, standing up and walking after her.

"What's with him?" Sokka asked.

"I'm going to make sure they don't kill each other." Lin said. She squeezed Aang's shoulder and walked after Zuko and Katara.

"What can I do to make it up to you?" Zuko asked.

"You really want to know? Maybe you can reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the earth king. Or, I know. You could bring my mother back." Katara said, walking past Zuko.

Lin headed back to the camp, unspotted.

"So you figure out what's going on?" Aang asked, as she and Lin went into their tent.

"Katara's pissed. That's all you need to know. Let her deal with it on her own." Lin said.

"I need to borrow Appa." Katara said.

"Is it your turn to take a field trip with Zuko?" Aang asked.

"Yes." Katara said.

Aang turned around, surprised.

"Why?"

"We're going to find the man who took my mother away from me." Katara said.

Everyone quieted, and Lin looked on apprehensively.

"Sokka told me what happened. I know who did it, and I know where to find him." Zuko said.

"And what do you think this will accomplish?" Aang asked.

"What do you think?" Lin asked, knowing the answer.

"I knew you wouldn't understand." Katara said.

"Wait. I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the fire nation when I found what happened to my people, how do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa?" Aang asked.

"She needs this, Aang. She needs closure and justice." Zuko said.

Lin agreed with Zuko. If it were her mother, she would rip the person to shreds with her cables, from the inside out.

"This is about revenge." Aang said.

"Maybe. Maybe that's what I need. It's what he deserves." Katara darkly said.

"Katara, you sound like Jet." Aang said.

"Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a monster." Katara said.

"Katara, she was my mother to. But I think Aang might be right." Sokka said.

 _This is damningly familiar. Katara is playing me, and Sokka is playing Su. God, this will get ugly so fast_.

"Then you didn't love her as I did!" Katara said.

"Katara." Sokka said, shocked that she would say something like that.

"The monks used to tell me that revenge is like a two headed rat viper. As you watch your enemy go down, you're poisoning yourself." Aang said.

"That's cute. But it's the real world." Zuko said.

"Now I know that he's out there, I feel that I have no choice." Katara coldly said.

"Katara, you do have a choice. Forgiveness." Aang said.

"That's the same as doing nothing." Zuko said.

"It's easy to do nothing. It's hard to forgive." Aang said.

"It's impossible." Katara grimly said.

That night, Lin stared into a fire, and overheard Sokka and Aang talking to Katara and Zuko.

"Don't try and stop me." Katara said.

"I'm not. You need to face this man. But when you do, don't choose revenge. Just let your anger out, and let it go." Aang said.

Watching the two leave on Appa, Sokka and Aang joined Lin at the fire.

"Well, I'm hitting the hay." Sokka said.

Silence sat between Aang and Lin.

"Lin?" Aang asked, seeing Lin as rigid as the earth she bent.

"I'm not comfortable talking about it." Lin said.

"Just talk to me. It'll be between the two of us." Aang said, scooting next to Lin and holding her hand.

"It's funny, how often we see ourselves reflected in others. We see another person act the same way we do, and we wonder 'am I like that.' Just barely, Katara reminded me of myself. I was like that for many years. Filled with pain and rage. I don't remember if I told you about these scars, so I'll tell you. My sister, Su Beifong, she was working with the terra triads, an earthbending gang. I stopped them while they were leaving from just robbing a bank. I saw my sister there, and tried to arrest her, by wrapping a cable across her wrist." Lin said, showing Aang the cable.

"Su didn't take kindly to that, she quickly cut the cable. It backlashed and landed on my cheek." Lin said.

"That must have hurt." Aang said, rubbing his thumb across the scars.

"It did. My mother was the chief of police, so you can imagine how it would look to see one of her daughters in jail. So she was kicked out of the city. God, I was so pissed and angry at both of them. Angry at my mom for not punishing Su. Angry with Su for doing whatever she wanted and not reaping what she sowed." Lin said.

"How'd you get over it?" Aang asked.

"It was 30 years since me and Su talked. When we met, all that pent up emotion and energy came out. The two of us fought. I lost the round, but it really helped to kill the tension. Now I'm much better now. But I'm still angry at my mom and Su. I'll always be angry at the both of them. Shit like that can never be forgotten." Lin said.

"What do you think about Katara? Will she kill the man she finds?" Aang asked.

"Don't know. But if she does, it will haunt her for the rest of her life. Getting blood off your hands is impossible. You're stained forever." Lin said.

Katara and Zuko came back a few days later.

"How'd it go?" Aang asked.

"She didn't kill him." Zuko said, relieved at that prospect.

"That's a relief." Aang said.

As they headed back to the campsite, Lin couldn't help but wonder what would haunt Katara more. Killing the man, or letting him live in fear for the rest of his life.


	48. Chapter 48 ember island players

Ch 48 the ember island players

"Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the fire lord in his own house?" Sokka asked.

"I told you, my Father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us." Zuko said, wiping his hair with a yellow towel.

"You're firebending is getting better." Lin said.

"I'm thinking of firebending against you in a sparring session." Aang said.

"Challenge accepted." Lin said.

Before the two could start, Sokka and Suki came in.

"You guys are not going to believe this. There's a play about us." Sokka said.

"We were in town, and we found this poster." Suki said.

"How is this possible?" Katara asked, looking at the poster.

"Listen to this. "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources including singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage." Sokka said.

"Brought to you by the ember island players." Suki said.

"Ugh. My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered "Love Amongst The Dragons" every year." Zuko said.

"I'd rather face the firelord right now, than go attend some fucked up play." Lin said, clearly remembering when she was attending the Nuktuk movie made by Varrick. It was terrible, but she knew it was better than those made by the ember island players.

"Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?" Katara asked.

"Come on, a day at the theatre? This is the kind of wacky time wasting nonsense I've been missing." Sokka said, a large grin on his face.

Lin and Zuko did not want to go to the play, but they were outnumbered and were forced to accompany everyone else.

"I'd rather not do this." Lin said.

"I agree. But we have to keep Aang and his friends safe. I heard that you're real protective of him." Zuko said.

"I am." She curtly said.

Sitting in the 'nose-bleed' seats, as Toph put it, they started to watch the play.

And it was terrible.

"Why is a girl playing me?" Aang asked.

Lin just slouched in her chair, and tried to cover her face. This put her and Aang's relationship in a whole new level.

"They got you pegged, twinkle toes." Aang said.

Lin peeked thru her hands covering her eyes, and saw the actor playing her. They got her mostly right. A serious stern figure. A very good combatant. And acted rather predatory towards Aang.

"What's the matter, Lin? You can dish it but you can't take it?" Katara shot.

"Shut up, sugar queen." Lin said.

"They make me totally stiff and humorless." Zuko said.

"They got you right on." Katara said.

"Says the one who blabbers about hope when they're none left in this world." Lin said.

The play continued on, and the group was sickened by what they saw.

The intermission came, and they went into the balcony. Lin looked at the open sky, refusing to look at the group.

"This is some bullshit!" Sokka said.

"At least the Sokka actor looks like you. That actress looks like nothing like me." Aang said.

"You are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys." Toph said.

"Relax, Aang. They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches about hope all the time." Katara said, earning looks from everyone.

"That's you, Katara." Sokka said.

"Listen, friends. It's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth." Toph said.

"Up yours, Toph." Lin replied.

Walking inside, they watched the play continue inside the earth kingdom. Lin and Aang had to cringe when they saw the cave of the two lover's scene. Next scene was when Toph appeared.

"Alright. I'm a muscular man. Perfect choice for me. At least I'm not a bald girl." Toph said.

The play quickly shifted to actress Aang and Lin as they spent time together in Ba Sing Se.

"How the hell did they know?" Aang whispered to Lin.

"Dai Li." Lin whispered back, and they watched the play.

"Don't you have eyes for Katara?" actress Lin asked.

"No. My eyes were on you the second I saw you. Nothing will change that." Actress Aang said, hugging actress Lin.

Aang squirmed in his seat, and Lin stood up and left the seats.

"Hey, get me some fire gummies." Sokka said.

The intermission came in, and the group was standing around in the hallway.

"It seems that every time there's a big battle, you guys barely make it out alive. I mean, you guys lose a lot." Suki said.

"You're one to talk, Suki. Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did." Sokka said.

"You trying to get on my bad side?" Suki asked.

"Just saying. Where's Lin? I asked her to get me some fire gummies, like 10 minutes ago. And I'm still waiting." Sokka said.

"I'll check on her." Aang said, and looked at the dagger Lin gave her.

 _Does she want me to use this on her?_

On the balcony, Lin leaned against the railing, her fists clenched. All the emotions a human was capable of feeling was going thru her right now.

"Are you alright?" Aang asked.

"No. I'm not." Lin said.

"Yeah. Hate this play as well. If my chakra wasn't blocked, I'd be in the avatar state right now." Aang said.

"The only reason I don't chop up the actors and actresses to pieces, is because we're enemies of the state." Lin said.

A silence was between the two of them, when Lin spoke again.

"Remember back in Ba Sing Se? What we agreed on?" Lin asked.

"That we'd act as boyfriend/girlfriend. God, it seems like forever ago when we were more innocent." Aang said.

"When you were more innocent. But I get the gist. One question. This stupid plan of ours, is it still a plan or not?" Lin asked.

"Should we tell them?" Aang asked.

"After all this time, it won't matter. Hell, all we have to do is coitus and we're set." Lin said, the last part sarcastically.

"Doubt everyone else will be happy about that." Aang said.

"Yeah. They won't. God, this is so messed up." Lin said.

"Maybe we should break-up." Aang said.

Lin laughed.

"We're too involved with each other. I doubt they'll accept that we broke up. Hell, if we tell them about the plan, no need to break up." Lin said.

"But we've gone past the plan. I think we've crossed it when we began to take baths with each other." Aang said.

"Fuck." Lin said.

"Between a hard place and a rock." Aang said.

"And we're both earthbending masters. Lovely." Lin said.

"No right time?" Aang asked.

"No. God, this is the first time I'm real confused about shit." Lin said.

Aang leans forwards and kisses Lin, surprising her. She shrugs her shoulder as she backs off.

"We'll figure something. Back inside." Lin said.

"Here's what you missed. We went to the fire nation and you got better, Katara was the painted lady and I got a sword. And I think Combustion man died. Oh, the invasion's about to start." Sokka said.

"Combustion man died after the invasion." Lin said.

Watching the invasion, Aang and Lin slouched in their seats. The group couldn't wait for the play to end.

"I guess that's it. The play's caught up now." Sokka said.

"Wait. The play's not over." Suki said.

"But it is over. Unless… this is the future." Sokka said.

"Jesus Christ. Hurry the hell up already." Lin said.

The play showed the 'future', as Ozai and Azula killed Zuko and Aang, showing the fire nation winning the war.

"Worst ending, of all time. Seriously." Lin said, being the only member of the group to not look stunned.

Leaving the play, the group voiced their opinions.

"That… wasn't a good play." Zuko said.

"The worst." Lin said.

"I'll say." Aang said.

"No kidding." Katara said.

"Horrible." Suki said.

"You said it." Toph said.

"But the effects were decent." Sokka said.


	49. Chapter 49 sozin's comet part 1

Ch 49 Sozin's comet part 1

At the fire lord's house, Aang was busy with his firebending training, dueling against Lin. She either dodged the attacks, or let the armor absorb the blasts.

"More ferocious." Zuko said, and Aang continues his firebending.

"Imagine striking into your opponents heart." Zuko said.

"I'm trying." Aang said.

"The firelord will kill you if you don't." Lin said, and fired her cables right at Aang's head to make a point. Aang air-bended the attack away and threw a fireball at Lin's head, causing her to duck.

"Now let me hear you roar like a tiger-dillo!" Zuko said.

Aang attempted to roar, but it was weak.

"Really?" Lin deadpanned.

"That was pathetic. I said roar!" Zuko said.

Aang roars ferociously and firebends really strong.

"Much better." Lin said.

"Who wants a nice, cool glass of watermelon juice?" Katara asked.

"Me, me, me!" Aang said, acting like a child in a toy store.

Lin captures him with her cables, preventing him from leaving.

"You're not done with your training yet." She said.

"Come on, guys. Just take a break. What's the big deal?" Suki asked.

"Fine." Lin says, releasing Aang.

"If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, be our guests." Zuko says.

"Maybe Zuko's right. Sitting around has made us lazy. But I know just the thing to change that. Beach party!" Sokka said.

Lin grabs several rocks from the beach and puts them in a pouch. She and Zuko sneak up on the group, and watch as they surround Sokka's sand sculpture.

Zuko throws a fireball and destroys the sculpture in one blow.

"What are you doing?" Aang asked, hiding behind his Appa sculpture.

"Teaching you a lesson." Zuko says, as Lin uses her earthbending to collapse the Appa sculpture.

Aang flees from Zuko and Lin, and they continue the attack. Aang jumps from tree top to tree top, and lands on the roof. Lin and Zuko confront Aang on the roof.

"Get a grip before I blast you both off the roof." Aang said.

"Do it." Zuko says, as he and Lin attack with their elements.

Aang flees into the house, and waits for his two attackers. Hearing a noise, he sees Zuko and Lin cut thru the roof and jump inside, searching for him.

Aang airbends a dresser towards him, but Zuko destroys it and firebends at Aang.

Aang runs, and is surrounded by swirling flames created by Zuko. He airbends a clear space to stand on and faces his attackers.

"Enough!" He shouts, and throws a powerful air attack and throws Zuko and Lin outside the house.

"What's wrong with you two? You could have hurt Aang!" Katara said.

"What's wrong with us? What's wrong with all of you! How can you stand around having beach parties when Sozin's comet is only three days away?!" Zuko shouts.

Everyone looks at Zuko and Lin with blank stares.

"Don't all speak at once." Lin says.

"About Sozin's comet… I was going to wait to fight the firelord until after the comet comes." Aang said.

"After?" Zuko asked.

"I'm not ready. I need more time to master firebending." Aang said.

"Your earthbending can still use some work." Toph says.

"You all knew Aang was going to wait?" Zuko asked.

"If Aang tries to fight the firelord, he's going to lose. No offence." Sokka said.

"The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the war. But they pretty much won the war when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse." Katara says.

"You're wrong. It's about to get worse than you can imagine." Zuko growls.

"Before the eclipse, I was invited to a war meeting. We were discussing how to handle the constant earth kingdom partisans. My father realized that sozin's comet was arriving, and with a fleet of zeppelins at his disposal, he's burn the earth kingdom to ashes from the air. Just like how Sozin used the comet to kill the airbenders at the start of the war." Zuko said, almost about to throw up.

"I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan. But I'm ashamed to say I didn't. My whole life I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance. But once I had it, I realized I lost myself getting there. I forgotten who I was." Zuko says.

"I can't believe this." Katara says.

"I always knew the firelord was a bad guy, but this is pure evil." Sokka says.

"What can I do?" Aang asked.

"I know you're scared. But unless you defeat the firelord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save." Zuko says.

"Why didn't you tell me about your father's plan?" Aang asked.

"I didn't think you'd be waiting until after the comet arrives." Zuko says.

"This is bad. Very bad." Aang says.

"Aang, you don't have to do this alone." Katara said.

"Yeah. If we fight the firelord together, we can take him down." Toph said.

"We'll stay with you till the very end." Lin says, putting her hand on his shoulders, and looked Aang in his eyes.

"Alright. Team Avatar is back. Water, earth, metal, fire, air. Fan and sword." Sokka said, holding a blade of leaf into the air, only for the leave to deflate.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Aang says.

In the courtyard, Zuko and Aang faced each other.

"There is one technique you need to know before facing my father. How to redirect lightning. If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow. You turn your opponents' energy against them." Zuko says, as he and Aang practiced the form.

"Just like waterbending." Aang says.

"Exactly. My uncle created the technique by studying waterbending." Zuko says.

"Have you redirected lightning before?" Aang asked.

"Once, against my father." Zuko says, remembering the event on the solar eclipse.

"What did it feel like?" Aang asked.

"Exhilarating. And terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body. But one wrong move, and it's over." Zuko says.

"But it's not over over, not with Katara and the spirit water." Aang nervously said.

"It's all out, Aang." Katara said.

"You'll have to kill the firelord, before he kills you." Zuko said.

Sokka had the group join for a training section, where Toph took place of the firelord, and would throw large boulders that were coated with fire, to make the training as realistic as possible.

Lin ran with Sokka and Suki, and watched as statues of fire nation soldiers approached them. Lin quickly destroyed them with her metalbending cables, and watched as a boulder slammed in front of them.

"Watch it, Toph!" Sokka said.

"I'm not Toph. I'm the melon lord!" Toph boasted.

They continued to press the attack, and Aang moved in for the kill.

"Now, Aang!" Sokka shouts.

Aang jumped from his hiding place and prepared to strike the water melon posing as the firelord. But he stopped inches away.

"Take him out!" Zuko shouts.

"Get on with it!" Lin adds.

"I can't." Aang says.

"If this was the real deal, you'd be dead right now." Sokka said.

"It just didn't feel right." Aang said.

Sokka brings out his sword and cuts the head in two.

"That's how it's done." Sokka said.

Aang looks in shock, knowing the implications of what he had to do.

That night, everyone was busy eating their food when Katara came into the room with a poster.

"I have a surprise for everyone." Katara says.

"I knew you had a secret thing with Haru!" Toph says, and everyone gives her strange looks.

"Bout time she laid off ribbing me and Aang." Lin said.

"I'm still got plenty for both of you. How long until you grease his pole?" Toph asked.

"Eww! Toph, where'd you get such language?" Katara asked.

"Forget about it. Show us what you have." Lin said.

Katara unfurled the poster and it showed a baby.

"It's a picture of Zuko. How cute." Katara says.

"That's not me." Zuko says.

"Who is it?" Suki asked.

"My father." Zuko said.

"But he's so nice." Suki said.

"He grew up to be a monster." Zuko said.

"But he's still human." Aang said.

"Aang, when are you going to get it through your head? He's the enemy! In war, you kill your enemy. How many times have you seen me shed blood?" Lin asked.

"Plenty." Aang said.

"Exactly. And right now, you're the only one in the group who has a chance of going toe-to-toe with Ozai. No-one else can fight him one on one." Lin said.

"So you suggest I kill Ozai." Aang said.

"Yes. Unless you can somehow take away his bending, there's no other way." Lin said.

"If I was in contact with the other avatars, I'm sure they'd give me another idea." Aang said.

"Aang, the Avatar's in the past also had problems to deal with. I'm sure they had to kill to maintain the peace. Including the airbending avatars. Hell, I'm betting they were the most ruthless of the avatars." Lin said.

"I doubt that." Aang said, as he left, Lin following.

"You'd be surprised. Have you heard of avatar Yangchan?" Lin asked.

"No." Aang said.

Entering his room, Lin continued to talk.

"I've done some research on the past Avatars. She was also an airbender, and she was very ruthless. The peace that came from her services, lasted for 100 years, maybe more. The records are a bit sketchy, so I'm sure the peace lasted longer." Lin said.

"So you still think I should kill him." Aang said.

"I would. The firelord won't have any qualms of killing a child. You shouldn't have any qualms as well." Lin says.

"Fine. I just want some time to meditate." Aang said.

"We leave in the morning. Get plenty of rest." Lin said.

Lin looked at Aang before she left the room. It was going down, one way or another.

Next morning, they were getting themselves ready.

"Aang's missing." Lin said, walking to the group.

"How'd you know?" Katara asked.

"Kid's a deep sleeper. I've had to wake him up many times." Lin said.

"Define waking him up." Toph said, making a vulgar gesture with her hand and mouth.

"Now's not the time. We have an avatar to search for." Lin said.

They searched all over the place, and found nothing.

"Where's Momo?" Toph asked.

"Oh, no. I knew it was a matter of time. Appa ate Momo!" Sokka exclaimed.

"He didn't eat Momo. He left with Aang." Lin said.

"That's what Appa wants you to think." Sokka said, climbing into the bison's mouth.

"Sokka, get of the bison's mouth. We have a real problem here. Aang is gone, and the comet is two days away." Zuko said.

"What should we do, Zuko?" Katara asked.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" Zuko asked.

"You chased us all across the globe. You know how to search for Aang." Lin said.

Appa flew from the beach and headed west.

"Zuko, I don't want to tell you how to do your job but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way Aang's there." Sokka said.

"Trust me." Zuko said.

Landing in the earth kingdom, Zuko lead them inside a noisy building.

"And the reason you brought us to a seedy earth kingdom tavern is why?" Katara asked.

"June." Zuko said.

"Oh yeah. That weird bounty hunter with the giant mole." Sokka said.

"Mole, her skin is flawless." Suki said.

"No, she has this giant mole creature she rides on." Sokka said.

"Her shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the only shot we have of finding him." Zuko said.

"I don't know who this Jun lady is, but I like her." Toph said.


	50. Chapter 50 sozin's comet part 2

Ch 50 Sozin's comet part 2

"Hey, I remember her. She helped you attack us!" Sokka said.

"Yep. Back in the good old days." Zuko said, approaching her.

"Oh great. Prince pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?" Jun asked.

"He's my uncle. And he's not here." Zuko said.

"I see you worked things out with your girlfriend." Jun smirked.

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

"Sounds familiar." Lin muttered.

"Yeah. And we all know how that turned out." Toph said.

"I was only teasing. So what do you want?" Jun asked.

"I need your help finding the avatar." Zuko said.

"Doesn't sound to fun." Jun said.

"Does the end of the world sound like fun?" Zuko angrily asked.

That got Jun's attention, and they went outside to her shirshue.

"Who's got something with the Avatar's scent?" June asked.

"You're up, Lin." Katara said, pushing Lin towards the animal.

Lin unsheathed her arm blades, ready to kill the shirshue as it sniffed her.

Jun only raised an eyebrow at Lin, then shrugged her shoulders in response to Lin's glare. The shirshue circled around the group, lowered herself on the ground in front of Jun, and covered its nose.

"What does that mean?" Toph asked.

"It means your friend's gone." Jun said.

"We know. That's why we're looking for him." Lin said.

"No. He's gone _gone._ He doesn't exist." Jun said.

"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist? Do you mean he's dead?" Sokka asked.

"If he was dead, we could find the body real easy. A real head scratcher. See ya." Jun said, mounting Nyla.

"Helpful. Real helpful." Toph said.

"Wait. There's one more person who can help us fight the firelord. I got a sample." Zuko said.

Everyone except Toph pinched their noses, trying to keep the stench out.

"You kept your uncle's sweaty sandal this whole time?" Katara asked.

"How the fuck does it still stink?" Lin asked.

"It think it smells sweet." Toph said, earning a look from Lin.

Nyla smelled the rotting sandal and took off in a direction, everyone else following on Appa. They approach the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, now partially destroyed.

"We're going to Ba Sing Se?" Zuko asked.

"Your uncle's somewhere beyond the wall. Nyla's getting real twitchy, so he can't be far. Good luck." Jun said.

The group set up camp for the night. Lin quickly did a seismic scan, and noted they were alone.

"So, what are you thinking?" Katara asked.

"We better find Iroh soon. Or we're all fucked." Lin said, as she unrolled her sleeping back and climbed into it.

"I'm sure Aang is safe. Wherever he is." Katara said.

"That's what troubles me. Not knowing where he is." Lin said.

"Lets get some rest." Katara said.

4 hours later, jets of flame surround the group, waking them up.

"Firebenders!" Lin shouted, getting up.

The fires dissipated and they looked at 4 old men who came out of the rubble, wearing blue and white clothing.

"Well, look who's here." Bumi said.

Sokka, Katara, and Lin sighed with relief, while Suki, Toph, and Zuko look at the other three, confused.

"What's going on? We're surrounded by old people. No offense, Lin." Toph said.

"Not just any old people. These are great masters and friends of ours." Katara said.

"So how do you all know each other?" Suki asked.

"They're members of the white lotus." Lin said.

"How'd you know?" Pakku asked.

"The insignia on your uniform matches this." Lin said, tossing Piandao his white lotus piece.

"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy, and beauty and truth. About a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important." Jeong Jeong said.

"It came from a grand lotus, your uncle. Iroh of the fire nation." Pakku said to Zuko.

"That's who we're looking for." Toph said.

"Then we'll take you to him." Piandao said.

Walking towards the camp, Lin's eyes were hazy, in the infamous 'thousand-yard stare'. She was walking on automatic.

"Something's on your mind." Piandao said.

"There's always something on my mind." Lin said.

"Of course. But I can tell this is very strong. I've seen your look before. On soldier's who've been thru and seen much." Piandao said.

"The end of the war. Hell, I've fucked so many things up, I'm not sure if things will turn out as we want them. Will the earth kingdom be destroyed?" Lin asked.

"I don't know. But we're close to stopping them." Piandao said.

"I hope Aang returns. If not…" Lin said.

"That's what's on your mind. The Avatar." Piandao said.

Lin looked at Piandao with an antsy expression. But he didn't know how close the two were.

"Yeah. That's what's on my mind." Lin said.

"It's funny, the things and people we choose to befriend and love." Piandao said.

"I don't…" Lin started.

"You do. I can see it in your eyes. Your whole body." Piandao said.

"Shit." Lin muttered.

"Chances are, we'll die before the end of the war. So, I won't tell anyone." Piandao said.

"Thanks." Lin said.

"Your heart will mend. Your duty is to fight the fire nation. Aang will return." Piandao said.

"You sure about that?" Lin asked.

"He wouldn't have gone thru intense training to just back out. When will he return, no-one knows, except Aang himself." Piandao said.

"That doesn't give me much comfort." Lin said.

"I suggest you rest." Piandao said.

Next morning, the group sat with Iroh and discussed how the end the war.

"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can defeat the father lord." Zuko said.

"You mean firelord." Toph said.

"That's what I said." Zuko said.

"Hmmm…" Iroh said, in thought.

"We need you to come with us." Zuko said.

"No, Zuko. It won't turn out well." Iroh said.

"You can beat him. And we'll be there to help." Zuko said.

"Even if I did, and I don't know if I can, it will be the wrong way to end the war. History will just see it as more violence. A brother, killing a brother to gain power. Only Aang can end the war." Iroh said.

"And then… you'll take your place on the throne?" Zuko asked.

"No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, prince Zuko." Iroh said.

"Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes." Zuko said.

"Yes, you have. You struggled, you suffered, but you have always followed your own path. You restored your own honor, and you can restore the honor of the fire nation." Iroh said.

"I'll try, uncle." Zuko said.

"What if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it _back_ from the Fire Nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again." Iroh said.

"So that's why you gathered the white lotus." Suki said.

"Yes. Zuko, you must return to the fire nation so that when the firelord falls, you can assume the throne. But Azula will be waiting." Iroh said.

"I can handle Azula." Zuko said.

"Not alone. You'll need help." Iroh said.

"You're right. Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?" Zuko asked.

"I'd love to." Katara said.

"What about us?" Sokka asked.

"We still have the fleet of airships to deal with. We'll take care of the fleet." Lin said.

"Correct." Iroh said.

Suki, Toph, Sokka, and Lin mounted the giant eel-hound.

"Nothing runs faster over land, or swims faster than a giant eel-hound. The airship base is on a small island just off the earth kingdom shore. You should be able to intercept the fleet within a day's journey." Piandao said.

"Thank you, master." Sokka said. Sokka then hugged Piandao, much to the swordsman surprise.


	51. Chapter 51 end of all things

Ch 51 end of all things

"It's weird to say, but the comet actually looks beautiful." Suki said.

"To bad the firelord is going to use it to destroy the world." Toph said.

The eel-lizard swam thru the water and walked on dry land, right where the base was. Dismounting, they walked up a hill to the edge of a cliff, and see the fleet lift into the air.

"We're too late! The fleet's already taking off!" Sokka said.

Lin catapulted them upwards towards the nearest zeppelin. They fly high into the air and land on the catwalks of the zeppelin.

Climbing up a ladder, they head inside the airship heading towards the cockpit. Avoiding the guards, they approach the cockpit.

"Toph, you're up." Sokka said.

Toph knocked on the door a few times, and kicked the door down on the last knock. She wrapped the door around herself in the form of armor. The firebenders and Toph duel, with the firebenders shooting at Toph with their enhanced flame.

The armor deflects the fire, and the captain shoots again. Toph rolls backwards and kicks her leg into the air, sending the floor that is underneath the captain right through the roof.

The duel continues for another few minutes, and a firebender is seen being thrown out the room and breaks his neck when he slams into the wall.

"Great work, Toph. Time to take control of the airship." Sokka said.

"That's a great idea. Let the blind girl steer the giant airship." Toph sarcastically said.

"I was talking to Suki." Sokka replied.

"That makes sense." Toph said.

"What about the rest of the crew?" Suki asked.

"Take us closer to the water. I got an idea." Sokka said.

As the zeppelin descended towards the water, Sokka spoke into the microphone.

"Attention crew, this is your Captain speaking. Everyone please report to the bomb bay _immediately_ for hot cakes and... sweet cream. We have a very special birthday to celebrate." Sokka said.

After waiting a few minutes, Sokka opened the bay doors and got rid of the crew. Free from that deadly threat, they ascended and headed to intercept Ozai's airship. Unfortunately, the time spent to rid themselves of the crew also slowed them down considerably.

"We're not going to catch up in time." Sokka said, looking thru a spyglass, as Ozai's zeppelin approached the earth kingdom shores.

"No." Suki said.

Ozai launches the first attack of fire, shooting an incredibly powerful flame towards the ground. No less than 5 minutes later, Ozai's zeppelin is crippled. The engines are blown off their mounts, and the crippled zeppelin crashes into the earth, Ozai fleeing the downed airship.

"What just happened?" Suki asked.

"It's Aang! He's back!" Sokka shouted.

"Thank god!" Lin said, a grin on her face.

"Go Aang! Airbending slice!" Sokka said, swinging his hand down.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Suki asked.

"We need to focus on destroying that fleet from burning down the earth kingdom." Sokka said.

"And how do we do that, captain boomerang? I can't see outside this floating hulk of metal." Toph said.

"Just wait." Lin said, counting from 3.

"Airship slice!" Sokka said, as Lin counted to zero.

At the helm, Sokka manipulated the controls to propel the zeppelin. As they headed to the fleet, the fleet started to bomb the earth kingdom with their enhanced fire.

"Woah. That's a lot of fire." Toph said.

"It is." Lin said, looking at the raging inferno.

"It's going to be a rough ride. We need to get to the top of this thing, fast." Sokka said.

"Then what?" Suki asked, as they headed to the ladders.

"If we make it that for, I'll let you know." Sokka quickly kissing Suki.

The zeppelin began to shudder and shear apart, as it crashed into the other zeppelins, crippling a few of the zeppelins.

"Run!" Lin shouts, as the zeppelin begins to show cracks in the hull.

Running forward, they reach the crowned head, when it splits in two. Sokka and Toph are separated from Lin and Suki.

"Suki!" Sokka shouts.

"I'm fine! Just continue with the mission!" Suki said.

"Any ideas?" Lin asked.

"Yeah. Follow me." Suki said, as they landed onto an intact zeppelin.

Heading to the rudder, Lin jams the rudder so the airship runs into another zeppelin, crippling both war machines.

"Man. The fire nation sure didn't pay any attention to the armor." Lin said.

"Probably because they didn't think that anyone would be crazy enough to try such a thing." Suki replied.

"Overconfidence in a war. It'll get you killed." Lin said, as she got on all fours and pounded the metal with her fist.

"What are you doing?" Suki asked.

Lin opened her hands and moved it across the metal, then squeezed them tight. An explosion is heard, and the zeppelin begins to fall.

"I destroyed the engine. We need to leave." Lin said.

"There, that zeppelin." Suki said, pointing to another zeppelin.

"Hold on!" Lin shouts, grabbing Suki and running towards the zeppelin. Using her metalbending, she forces a piece of the metal to propel the pair further towards the zeppelin. Upon crash-landing on the zeppelin, they look around to find more targets, only seeing one more zeppelin.

"Last one." Lin said, heading to the rear of the zeppelin, and rips open the metal roof. Getting on a knee, she extends a hand thru the open armor and reaches out to the engine components. Opening all the vents, she forces the zeppelin to increase speed, and watches as they collide with the last zeppelin.

"What happened, did boomerang come back?" Toph asked, as Sokka clutched his broken leg in agony.

"No. Suki and Lin." Sokka said.

"How many are left?" Toph asked.

"Just this one." Lin said.

"What the troops inside?" Sokka asked.

"Leave that to me." Lin says, with a sly smile.

Laying flat on her stomach, she closes her eyes and feels the entire structure of the airship, noting where the crew is at every location and second.

"Got ya." Lin says, and closes her hands into a fist and curls her toes, then opens both hands and toes.

Screaming is heard, as the soldiers drop right out of the zeppelin, the floor having disappeared right under their feet. Lin puts the floor back where it belongs and stands up.

"What happened?" Suki asked.

"Did you just remove the floor from their feet?" Toph asked.

"Sure did." Lin said.

"Remind me to never piss you off." Suki said.

A sonic boom is heard, and they look towards the direction. They see Aang and Ozai duke it out, and Aang is winning the fight.

"Kick his ass!" Sokka shouts, a smile on his face.

"Of course he's winning." Lin says, and watches the fight.

The fight ends on a plateau, and Aang and Ozai face each other. Suddenly, two bright lights appear in the sky. Orange, and blue.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know." Lin said.

The blue light dissipates, and for a moment is gone. The blue light returns in force, and drowns the orange light.

"Could Aang be doing that?" Suki asked.

"It has to be. Only an avatar could pull off such a stunt." Lin said.

The blue light is gone, and Aang is left standing. Reaching his arm out, he calls the waters to rise and put out the fires.

"What are we waiting for? Lets get to it." Lin said, as she climbs inside the zeppelin. Suki and Toph carefully bring Sokka inside the zeppelin, and take him to the sickbay to bandage his leg.

Lin carefully guides the airship to meet with Aang and Ozai. Gulping, she runs from the cockpit and onto the plateau.

"You did it! You should have seen yourself, it was amazing!" Sokka said, as he made several gestures and noises, re-enacting the fight between the two. Suki carefully walks up to the slumped Ozai.

"So did you… you know, finish the job?" Suki asked.

"I'm still alive." Ozai said.

"I learned there was another way to defeat him and restore balance. I took his bending away." Aang said.

Sokka and Toph widen their eyes in response.

"Wow. Who taught you that?" Toph asked.

"A giant lion turtle." Aang said.

"You have the craziest adventures when you disappear." Toph said, crossing her arms.

Lin walked to Aang and pulled him aside.

"Thank god, Aang. Thank god." She said, kissing him.

"I thought you didn't believe." Aang said, breaking away from the kiss.

"I don't. But you did it. You ended the war." Lin said.

"With everyone's help." Aang said, as Lin roughly kissed him again.

At the fire nation, a large crowd gathered for the crowning of Zuko, and the end of the war.

"I can't believe a year ago my purpose was hunting you down." Zuko said.

"And now we're friends." Aang said.

"Yeah… we are friends." Zuko said.

"I can't believe a year ago, I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world's so different now." Aang said.

"And it's gonna be even more different, when we build it together." Zuko said, hugging Aang.

Zuko walked forward and greeted the large crowd.

"Please, the real hero is the avatar." He said, stepping to the side as Aang walked forward.

"Today, this war is over!" Zuko said.

"I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the fire nation, and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the avatar's help, we can get it on the right path and begin a new era of love and peace." Zuko said, and everyone cheered in response.

 _Yeah. For the next 70 years. After that, more carnage and bloodshed._ Lin thought, knowing the future, or did she?

"I'll figure it out when I get back to republic city." She muttered to herself.

The group headed to Ba Sing Se for much needed R&R, and found themselves in Iroh's new tea house. It was in the third ring, and had a great view of the city.

Everyone was resting and minding their own business. Mai and Suki are playing a game of Pai Sho, Toph is resting her feet on a table, Sokka is writing on a piece of paper, Aang and Lin are sitting in a large chair, comfortably in each other's arms.

"Zuko, stop moving. I'm trying to capture the moment. I wanted to do a painting, so we always remember the good times together." Sokka said.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Sokka." Katara said, looking at the drawing. "Wait! Why did you give me Momo's ears?"

"Those are your hair loopies." Sokka said.

"At least you don't look like a porcupine. My hair isn't that spiky." Zuko said, joining the group.

"I look like a man." Mai said.

"Why did you paint me firebending?" Suki asked.

"I thought it looked more exciting that way." Sokka said.

Momo jumps onto the table and looks at the picture.

"Oh, you think you can do a better job, Momo?" Sokka asked.

"My belly's not that big anymore, I've really trimmed down." Iroh said.

"Well I think you all look perfect!" Toph said.

Aang and Lin walked onto the balcony and looked at the view, as the sunset appeared over the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aang asked.

"It is. Never thought this would happen." Lin said.

"You're from the future. How could you not know?" Aang asked, facing Lin.

"Because history does not show a Lin Beifong living in this time, let alone dating avatar Aang." Lin said.

"Wow. You got one hell of a problem when you go back." Aang said.

"Yeah. About that…" Lin said.

"What?"

"I'll be heading back very soon. Probably before next morning." Lin said.

"So soon?" Aang asked.

"I know. But it's what needs to be done. I made a deal with the spirits. When the war is over, I'll be heading back. Aang, I've been with you every step since day one. I know you'll be a great avatar and a great man. This… journey, if you might call it. I'll always remember it." Lin says.

"Will we see you again?" Aang asked.

Lin darkly laughed.

"Believe me. You'll see me again within twenty years. Just don't lose your shit." Lin said.

As Aang fell asleep, Lin stayed awake while cuddling with him one last time. Her eyelids felt heavier than any piece of metal she bent before. Leaning forward, she kissed Aang one last time, and kept her lips glued to his as sleep over came her.

"Where am I?" Lin asked, her eyes opening. Standing up, she saw she was back in the spirit world.

"Welcome back." The time spirit said, approaching her.

"You brought me back." Lin said.

"Yes. But you have damaged the timeline. It is different from what you originally knew before, but not by much. Avatar Aang married an earth-bender, and still has his three kids. But Kya, is an earth-bender, not a water-bender. Avatar Korra is stronger and wiser than before. She's contact Aang many times, and has sought his advice. Said advice was sprung from his interactions with you." The spirit said.

"Who did Zuko marry?" Lin asked.

"Not relevant to your situation." the spirit said.

"Okay. What about my memories?" Lin asked.

"As a punishment for damaging the timeline, you will be forced to carry the memories of both timelines. However, the original will fade, and the alternate will take place." The spirit said.

"How long was I gone? From the perspective of republic city?" Lin asked.

"Only for a few hours. Now go." The spirit said.

Following the spirits order, Lin walked out of the portal into the night sky of republic city.

 _I wish you were here, Aang. So you can see what Korra has done._

"Lin, where have you been?" Su asked approaching her sister.

"Su, I got one hell of a story to say. And you won't believe it." Lin said.


End file.
